Sweet Lullaby
by XxMeli J NightlyxX
Summary: “She’s my daughter…pretty lil’ thing ain’t she?” When the war ends the pilots try to start a normal life but then tragedy strikes making Heero disappear. A few years later Duo finds him to ask him for a favor that might change Heero's cold heart
1. Unexpected Visit

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Gundam Wing only Heero _/lawyers with big suitcases show up/ _Just KIDDING! Don't sue me! I don't have a dime, well yeah a dime maybe, but not enough to own Gundam Wing, and no profit comes from these fics except for all the lovely reviews _/hint hint/_. I do own any other character that don't appear in GW but does appear in this fic.

**Summary: **After the Endless Waltz, peace is finally gained. But Heero and the rest of the pilots will learn that war is not the only hard thing to deal with...and that in the game of life you can win but you can also lose. Will they learn to trust? What other tragedies will come their way? And will they be able to endure it?

**SWEET LULLABY **

**Chapter 1:** _Unexpected Visit_

He pointed the gun at his head, his mind telling him to do it, to pull the goddamn trigger. The gun was his only remaining friend and companion, because that's the way he wanted it. His finger remained on the trigger. The cool metal caressing his temple sent a slight shiver down his spine. There was part of him that couldn't…that didn't let him pull the trigger. _: Now I can't even kill myself how pathetic: _

The thought of one of his fellow partners dying haunted him every day, that's why he decided to live far away from the rest of the Gundam Pilots. He didn't know what had become of them.

He figured that Trowa would still be working at the circus, Wufei probably had joined the Preventers …Duo his _'friend' _that's what Duo called himself without even letting the cold pilot have a say about it, probably continued happily married. Indeed he was his friend well at least he tried, but the cobalt blue eyed man never let him through, he almost did, Duo thought he had finally broken into his cold hearted shell but then something horrible happened that did change the course of the pilots lives.

Working at a well known worldwide computer company wasn't fulfilling at all, he took a mission with the preventers here and there, incognito. He asked lady Une not to mention that he was doing certain missions to anyone, lady Une agreed and respected his privacy. But his life wasn't worth much or at least that's what he thought.

He sat there staring at his gun, his eyes cold and empty, just like his heart felt. He thought about everything, his life, what he had accomplished so far, the decisions he had made, but still it made no difference…he felt more inhuman each time he tried to be :_normal._ _…what is normal anyway?:_

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a sing-song knock, _:Is it here? No… no one ever visits me…: _He waited it out. But then _knock..knock knock knock… knock knock_. He slowly got up of his seat and mentally noticed that the knock seemed playful, but no less dangerous he thought. He slid his back to the door, gun up to his face, hand ready to turn the knob.

As he fiercely opened the door he pointed the gun at whoever was at the other side of it.

"Hey… hey chill Hee-chan… it's me your ol' pal Duo, you forgot about me already?"

Heero couldn't believe his eyes, right in front of him stood the cheery ex-Deathscythe pilot… _:But how?:_ How did he find him? After all the moving he did just so he could lose his tracks and still he managed to find him, the only person who probably knew his whereabouts was… _:Note to self eliminate lady Une's computer…and possibly her too:_. All of the sudden he noticed a tiny person grabbing Duo's leg, who he probably scared off when he pointed the gun at Duo. The violet eyes of his long lost friend noticed Heero's go straight to the little girl that looked no older then 6, chestnut brown wavy hair like Duo's only without the braid.

"This is Maisha…" Duo pushed the young girl lightly on the back and motioned her to Heero, "baby say hi, to your uncle Heero!"

Heero's eyes widened when he heard this.

Little Maisha curtsied, "Pleased to meet you", the cold pilot didn't know what to say or do.

_:Uncle? Is this…Duo's..:_

"She's my daughter…pretty lil' thing ain't she?"

"Hn…" is all he could say.

The little girl tugged on Duo's shirt and motioned him to lower as if to whisper something in his ear, but like any kid her age her whisper wasn't much of a whisper."Daddy is Uncle Heero mute?"

Duo chuckled. Heero on the other hand didn't seem amused.

"No darling he's just…grumpy…" he cooed and then turned to Heero, "well are you going to keep us in the hallway all day?" he questioned him sarcastically.

He didn't feel like talking but knowing Duo he knew that he would be coming back over and over, and in some way he felt part of his loneliness dissipate, even if he didn't want to admit he was _happy _to see him again.

"Nice place…" Duo said as he entered the apartment, it looked gloomy and very Heero's style. It had the basic 'Heero' essentials: a table with an empty vase on top in the corner of the hallway entry, the kitchen was very nice he figured it came like that already, at the breakfast counter stood a laptop, there seemed to be two rooms in the first floor and stairs that lead to more rooms. The walls were a plain white color, there were no paintings. The only thing adorning the place and giving it a splash of color was a medium sized plant in the living room. Duo came to the conclusion that it was quite big for Heero's use.

"Thank you," he replied coldly.

"Damn it Heero, you'd think that after 7 years you would at least show an insignificant amount of emotion," he gave a brief pause and sighed, "but of course… you're the perfect soldier, why do I even bother…" Heero saw the frustration that Duo was showing, he was right he did feel something, all the memories of the five of them being together were coming back and the incident, the damn incident that should've never happened.

"What do you want Duo?" His cobalt eyes were filled with indifference.

The braided pilot out of nowhere pulled Heero towards him for a hug; he stood there dumbfounded of this sudden show of affection. It didn't take long for him to react; Duo's back was slammed not too harshly to the wall.

Maisha's eyes widened with worry and she screamed, "Daddy! Are you okay? Why did you do that for he was just-"

"Sweetheart its okay…" he expected that from Heero, in fact he expected a much harder blow, "I deserved it, you're uncle isn't used to hugs or kisses."

Heero somewhat found that hurtful but managed to disguise it in his usual monotonous self.

"Hm. What do you want Duo?" He repeated without showing his irritation.

The little girl couldn't believe how _mean_ he was; how cold, even for her age she could tell that he had never felt any kind of love or affection.

"Mai honey, could you please go watch T.V I have to discuss grownup _stuff_ with your uncle okay?"

She didn't seem to budge at her father's request, she was afraid to leave him with this uncaring mean person. Or at least that were her thoughts on Heero.

Heero looked at the child with curiosity, "You can go watch in the living room." The girl gave him an innocent like warn full look, Heero dismissed it realizing she was only a child. Maisha did as she was told and headed for the living room and watched whatever caught her eye, Duo and Heero headed to the kitchen which was pretty far away from where she was being entertained.

"She's not like you…" Heero said out of nowhere.

"What?"

"The girl… she's not hyperactive like you or as annoying-"

"Hey! I'm going to resent that you know?" Duo grinned; finally Heero said something other than his usual grunt. But then his grin turned into a frown as he looked over to the direction where his daughter was. He sat down in the metallic stool that stood next to the breakfast like bar table.

"Heero…" he didn't know how to say it, pain came over his heart making it hard to find the words, "I came here for a reason. It was really hard to track you down."

That much was obvious, Heero thought, his efforts were not enough since he was found by the person he least wanted to be found by. He could tell Duo was beginning to have a strain in his voice, he wondered what was troubling him. Asking him would seem like he cared too much and he wanted to avoid any more emotion. Yet, he still didn't talk. Without him asking he grabbed two glass cups from the cupboard and searched blindly for a bottle. He poured the orange like liquid less than halfway on each cup. Heero lightly placed it in front of the braided man and he gladly received it.

"Thanks, I needed this for a while now," he looked over at Maisha's direction to make sure she wasn't staring back, seeing that he was in the clear he leaned his head back and gulped the fiery drink down. He coughed a bit at the burning sensation in his throat. The ex-pilot felt a bit braver after the drink hit his bloodstream, he figured it was now or never.

"Faye…" he trailed off, the words coming after were struggling to come out.

At the sound of her name he caught his attention fully. "What happened?"

"Faye… is dead."

It struck Heero like a storm, those three words that were barely audible made Heero choke. How did he not know about this?

Duo remained silent for a while, tears starting to form in his beautiful violet eyes, which seemed to have lost its shine. The perfect soldier wanted to console him, but he never had consoled anyone before; so he stood there watching his _friend _cry until the only thing that occurred to him to do was put his hand over his shoulder. That was more than enough for Duo, beneath his tears and sobs he smiled, it was a small smile, but it was after all a smile.

"When did this happen?" Heero asked with an almost sad pitch in his voice.

"Two weeks ago, the funeral was tough, Trowa was there, Wufei came by later from one of his missions… Faye would've liked it if you were there."

It felt like a slap on the face. Trowa and Wufei were at the funeral and he didn't even know that this tragedy had happened. He felt even more miserable and low. He remembered Faye and the day Duo decided to make Heero the best-man in their wedding, if felt like it had been ages ago.

**:FLASHBACK:**

"Please Heero, you will make a great best-man!" Faye said with her big doe eyes. She was very easy on the eyes, brunette long straight hair, jade colored eyes and not taller than Duo. He had grown to like her in a brotherly way and was happy that Duo was, well happier than usual.

"Why me? Why not Quatre? He's the one that's letting you use his mansion for the wedding and making all the arrangements."

Quatre came in the room with his usual warm smile, "because, we all agreed you were the best choice. It's true we all pitched in, I gave my mansion, Trowa the entertainment and Wufei is actually preparing some kind of surprise of which he didn't want to mention. However, I expect is going to be interesting. So you see Heero, you can be the best-man since all of us pretty much have our hands full."

He made a research about best man's and what they're duties were, for him _missions_. Heero didn't know what to say, he figured from his research that the best-man had to be like a real close _friend_ someone of importance to the person he was being best-man for. He didn't feel up to it. But then again he never backed down in a mission.

"Soooo Hee-chan, will you be my best man?" Duo said with a cheery smile.

"Guys could you let me have a minute with Heero please?" Faye asked.

"I knew it! I knew one day you would end up leaving me for Heero! Why? It's cause of his death glare?" Duo said in a dramatic tone that could've put down any Shakespeare actor, Faye laughed at her fiancé's joke and so did Quatre. He also managed to get a small curl on Heero's lips. Quatre pushed the screaming Duo out of the room, although his screams of torment could be heard from far away… "Why didn't god give a glare as deadly as his….no Faye don't succumb to it!"

"Are you sure you want to marry him?" Heero asked sarcastically.

Faye giggled at his remark and said the only answer she could give, "I wouldn't have it otherwise he's one of a kind."

"Yes. That he is."

"You all are."

"Hm?"

"Yeah, you each have your own especial way of being. That's why Duo cares about all of you so much. You guys are the only family he has left and I would like to consider all of you as my family also…" Her cheeks got rosy as she said those words, Heero nodded in approval.

_:Family:_ Heero thought, they did seem like a family ever since the war ended, they helped each other fill in the void of fighting. War was all they had known, but the one that had helped them get over it a lot was Quatre, he was the one that kept them together to the extent of letting them live in the mansion for as long as they wanted. They decided to do so until they all could figure out what to do with their lives. Duo figured it out first as soon as he laid eyes on the beautiful green eyed nurse. He knew he wanted a family with her and a normal life. It almost made the perfect soldier jealous in some way.

The pilots enjoyed watching the new couple, she was the opposite of Duo, very calm and serene, which made they're fights fun to watch.

"So, since you accept me as part of the family, will you please be _our _best man?"

"Yes. Although I don't understand-"

"Why we would ask you? Well either your blind or just plain dense, can't you see that Duo considers you his best friend, even if he doesn't say it. He feels a stronger bond with you than with the rest of the guys." Heero stared at her in disbelief.

"Duo said that?"

"It shows, but don't tell him I told you, he would kill me!"

Heero nodded and gave her a small smile, "Make him happy, he deserves it."

"You too deserve to be happy. By the way my best friend is also coming to the wedding, she's single and pretty. I don't care if Duo says you belong with Relena, I don't like her, my friend's much prettier!" She headed out of the room, Heero smiled at her forwardness. _:You picked a great man to marry and you Duo a great woman:_

**:END FLASHBACK:**

Heero tried to assimilate it, but even this blow was hard on a Perfect Soldier. Duo's elbows were now on the table, his hands going through his own hair and finally he buried his face in his hands. A slight headache was sneaking up on Duo and was starting to doubt whether it was the right decision to find Heero. He knew his friend didn't want to be bothered that's why he had left without a word to anyone.

Duo didn't know how to ask what he wanted to ask, _:Why is this so freaking hard, I could blow up a whole base and destroy OZ's mobile suits and I'm afraid to ask Heero to…:_

"Did you come here to tell me that?" Heero knew that it was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words escaped his lips. He knew he hurt him and now there was no way to take back his words.

Duo gave a big sigh and gathered all his courage.

"Heero…I need to ask you…a favor."

He coughed and managed to nod in understanding.

"Yeah. I … do you think…you could…. that maybe-"

Heero looked at Duo exasperated, not knowing what he was going to ask him, but seeing the situation that he was in it was only right to help him.

"Please take care of Maisha while I'm away!" Duo blurted out, Heero tried to understand what the ex-pilot tried to say, but it all seemed like a jumble of words. The only reaction Duo received was Heero's cocked eyebrows.

"I said that I need you to take care of Maisha while I'm gone," he reiterated this time in a more suitable manner.

"What? Where are you going?"

"I have some unfinished business to attend to." He stated simply.

"And you want me to take care of your daughter, are you insane?"

"It's just for a week, Heero, or less maybe."

"Hn… no, there's no way. I can't do that, I wouldn't-"

"Come on Hee-chan please, I trust you… besides you are my best man 'member?"

"Duo I don't know anything about taking care of kids, especially little girls...and not to mention she is your daughter."

"Don't start with that… besides you owe me big time, you didn't even bring me strippers for my bachelor party!"

"Hn."

"So will you please?"

Heero grunted once more.

"So I take that as a yes?" Duo tried once more.

"Hn," he gave the same reply.

"Alright, than I take that as a yes."

"I didn't say yes."

"Well 'Hn' isn't exactly a no either so what do you expect?" he said and shrugged innocently.

Maisha spoke up at hearing their argument, "Daddy where are you going? Why are you leaving me and with him? He's so mean!" Heero stood there shocked, well is not as if he wanted to take care of Duo's brat anyway. Duo laughed loudly at the sight of Heero's face and the thought that someone other than the great Duo Maxwell could actually gain a face like that.

"Yeah you're right he is mean!" Duo kept on laughing after agreeing with his little mini me. Heero just looked at Duo and realized that it was probably the first time after Faye had died that he was laughing so he said nothing as he watched him twirl his little girl…

_To be continued…_

Okay people this is the first chapter of this fic after a long break from writing, so practically this is my first fic again because I never finished my first fic due to some problems I had in my life, which I know you're not interested in…

Duo:Of course they're not!

Shut up Duo.

Duo:You shut up!

No you shut up!

Heero:Both of you shut up!

You're in some mood O.O

Duo: Tell me about it O.o

Heero: -.-

But anyway hope you like it kind of short but I know the next chapter will be filled with more of my psycho imagination, oh and thanx for all of those people that reviewed New Life New Enemy when I was writing it and I apologize for not finishing it, if I can actually think of how to finish it I will!

R&R let me know if it's worth writing or trashing, you will be the judge. It's practically my first fic again so please be gentle!


	2. Never say never

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gundam Wing only characters that appear in this fic and that don't appear in Gundam Wing are mine, like Maisha.

_:indicates thoughts: _

**SWEET LULLABY**

**Chapter 2: Never say Never**

-. Heero's POV .-

It was late already; I grabbed some towels and other guest necessities that were stuffed in the closet. I always thought that they would _never_be needed but never comes sooner or later. Like for example I _never_ thought Duo would be the one to end up finding me or how it would _never_ had occurred to me that Duo would have a child by now, but of course that's what normal families are about _:what is it with me and normal:_. My apartment was normal, no, not even my apartment was normal; it was too big, too big for one person. It was made for a _family._ A family I wasn't meant to have or would _never _have. Three bedrooms… why would the company think I would need a four bedroom apartment not to mention a big kitchen and living room. I have to stop talking to myself, but if not myself then who? _:Duo…he's here now:_ No definitely not. He's still the immature braided idiot that I once knew, although just a bit more insecure.

I crept to one of the rooms where Duo was. Unnoticed by them I stood behind the mid closed door and listened to something that just caught my attention for no important reason. As a soldier surveillance was something that came easily to me. It was pure irony what I heard, the "God of Death" singing a lullaby. Most of the time he sung and hummed when we were on missions, sad songs, rock songs even, but never a lullaby he always said that he _never_ remembered being sung a lullaby and considered them _'stupid'_ I quote to his exact words. Now he sings a lullaby to his little girl, but never the less it sounded tender and loving, so much that I actually felt a weird sensation in my stomach _:maybe it's something I ate:. _

"Now you have to sing me my song, that way I can go to sleep…" Maisha giggled at her father's request, she sounded happy that he told her to sing what was supposed to be 'his song'. I listened to her voice I couldn't help it when my lips began to form a smile.

"You're my honeybunch, sugarplum,

Pumpy-umpy-umkin, you're my sweet pie

You're my cuppycake, gumdrop,

Snoogums-boogums-spoogums

You're the apple of my eye

And I love you so and I want you to know

That's I'll always be right here!

And I love to sing sweet songs to you

Because you…are ….so… dear…"

"That's my girl! Thank you cup-cake…"

Duo clapped and kissed her on the cheek Maisha hugged Duo tightly as if she never wanting to let go. After she did finally let go of him she seemed somewhat troubled with something.

"Daddy, why does uncle Heero always look so sad? Is it because mommy died?"

"Oh squirt, it's more than that. But, yeah I suppose you can say that's one of the reasons."

"But if he was mommy's friend and your friend why wasn't he at the funrall…"

"You mean funeral kiddo..." Duo chuckled and tickled the little girl playfully, I leaned back on the door frame, expecting to hear Duo's reply to be 'because he's selfish bastard who never cared' I didn't deserve less but instead, "and he didn't go to your mommy's funeral because no one told him about it, so you see it wasn't his fault it was more my fault." He lied, why did he want to make me the good guy, damn you. I felt baffled toward his attitude I would hate me, well I do hate me but why doesn't he hate me?

"Oh I see poor uncle Heero…. And daddy is he always so grumpy and mean?"

Grumpy, am I really that grumpy? I show no emotion that I've been told, cold, robot like but grumpy…

"You know what, you're uncle isn't really mean or at least he doesn't really want to be. Deep inside he has a good heart and I bet you he has a lot of niceness inside of him."

"Just like the ogre from that one movie we saw!" She squealed and giggled, I couldn't help noticing how hysterical Duo was laughing, who was this ogre she was mentioning? I would have to find out who I had just been compared to.

"Mai you know how much I love you right? You know I will never leave you?"

The certain pitch on Duo's voice made me uneasy, what did he mean with those questions; he knew the answers to them why would he ask them. He probably wants to remind her, of course that's it, but why not just say it directly? _:I shouldn't be even listening to their conversation, it's not right: _And the last thing I heard before I turned to leave was Maisha's soft voice, "I love you too daddy, you're my whole wurld…" she said replacing the 'o' in world.

I turned to the living room and sat down on the couch the towels and such by my side; I was caught up in all my thoughts that I didn't hear Duo come near. I looked up when I felt pair of eyes watching me closely. He sat next to me I could still feel his eyes looking at me intensively.

"I know it's been difficult, but you can't keep on blaming yourself for what happened to Quatre" he sighed at his name and my avoiding gaze, "he wouldn't have wanted that. I mean look at you Heero, you're a mess, you have bag under your eyes, you look tired and not to mention miserable! You're worse than Quatre when he blamed everything on himself, the war is over Heero and it was over when that happened."

He was right, I hated to admit it, but the truth is hard thing to accept. I was a wreck and definitely miserable, but it still felt like my fault, it was my fault. I stood quiet. Taking in his every word.

"Shit, Heero we've been trying to find you for a long time-"

"We?"

"The others… your friends… me…we… all of us."

"Why?"

"Because, we care about you stupid! Why else?" He threw up his hands in exasperation.

I shook my head. Giving him my one and only simple answer, "I had to be alone for a while."

"For seven years? Now who the hell needs that much amount of time alone?"

I sensed that no matter what I told Duo he wouldn't understand the decision I had made years ago. Seven years was a long time but I wasn't about to admit to him. _:Did I really need all that time? Seven years had gone by… seven years of my life:_

After a few minutes of silence I glanced at my hands and asked him the question that had been bothering me for a while now.

"How did Faye die?" I could see he choked at the sound of that question. He avoided looking at me and stared at his own hands that fidgeted while he sighed and began to formulate the answer.

"Sh- … the cops said that…that she had… committed suicide…" he let out a whimper and my head motioned fast to his direction _:Suicide__:_I looked at him wide eyed in disbelief. I couldn't find any words, none would come out and my thoughts were racing like a thousand miles per hour.

"Suicide…" I let out the word softly; it's something I had always contemplating on doing. In the war and after the war that's all I wanted to end my miserable life. My life meant nothing, it was cheap and unneeded, but Faye she had so much going for her, just like Duo.

"That's what they said. To tell you the truth, I don't believe that." My senses reacted to his last sentence.

"What do you mean? You don't think she committed suicide?"

"It's not that I don't think…I know that she wouldn't do something like that … I mean you remember Faye, she was never the type of person to have those kinds of thoughts. Sure she got a little bit depressed after the war but it was because her parents were casualties, I felt for her, but she wasn't the type to go up and end her life…she told me so." His gaze stood in my eyes, I couldn't do much to take mine off his either, he looked at me expecting me to say something comforting, I could feel that's what he wanted, or me to say that I believed him. But would I tell him something I wasn't even sure of. I knew Faye for a certain amount of time and yes I had analyzed her to a certain extent yet I fully lacked to understand her like Duo did.

"We all change Duo…maybe-"

"No Heero! You don't understand… do you know why she named our little girl Maisha?" I looked at him curiously and waited in silence for the answer, "She named her Maisha because it means 'Life', Maisha gave her and me a new life, a great and beautiful life, I life within all the destruction that was left."

"Duo, I can understand that. You're child gave you what you needed to be stable while she was born, but what about after, what about these past months? How was she?"

"You think she might've been unhappy? It's what everyone asked… if I had done something to make her choose death." I wouldn't answer anymore, all my responses just seemed to hurt more, it's not something I wanted. I merely continued to listen. "Heero, Mai's birthday is coming up soon. She was looking forward to give her the best birthday party she could. She was so happy… and not just that… she was excited that we were going to have another baby."

"Another?"

"She was pregnant…now you tell me…do you think she would have committed suicide and killed our baby?" His eyes were hopeful for a confirmation.

How would I answer, my head obviously screamed no, but would it do him any good if I told him that? He would probably never live a normal life if he kept on dwelling and trying to find out the cause of Faye's death. But she was his wife, the person he loved more than life itself. I wouldn't even begin to know how that feels. I never **loved** anything or anyone. I didn't know the meaning of that word. That word that I heard a lot throughout my life, but felt meaningless. Relena said 'I love you' more than once, but I felt nothing towards those words, I felt them empty just like when I slept with other woman and they said it after we had finished what they called _'making love'_ . I didn't call it that, I called it lust, and I'm sure they felt it that way also. So that's why I have never said those words or even the word '_love' _itself. Duo did learn the meaning of it, he showed it and here he was caught up in what he called 'love' without having the opportunity to show it to his companion any longer.

"How did the cops find her?"

"I found her when I came back from work."

"Was Maisha present when that happened?"

"No. Thank God I wouldn't be able to live with myself if my baby girl had seen all that. I…went inside, I called her name and she never answered, so I looked in every room…"

**:::::FLASHBACK NARRATED BY DUO::::::**

"Faye…babe where are you? I'm home…" I finally opened the last room, our bed room.

I saw her there, I couldn't believe my eyes, maybe it was nightmare? I kept on telling myself that over and over. 'Till this very day I do that. But it wasn't. There she was lying in tainted red bed, red from her blood, I wanted to scream to cry out for help, but I couldn't, I choked in my own desperation and tears. I have never cried in fear, not even when death toyed with me. I was scared, scared to go near her and find out that she was no longer alive. But without thinking about it too much I started walking towards her. She was just a pale mold of the woman who I had sworn to protect with my life. When I got close enough I knew it was over, she laid there a gun in one hand and the other hand spread to the other side, a whole was carved into her beautiful head. I did the only thing I could and I grabbed her. I held her and told her not leave me. That I was nothing without her, I wept and I screamed…I felt like dying with her. The Shinigami, I called myself that in the war over and over, I laughed in deaths face and now death was taking its revenge. I cursed and yelled hoping he would come back for me. But like they say payback is a bitch.

I must've been yelling pretty hard because what seemed like an eternity for me but now thinking back on it, it wasn't, our neighbor Delia appeared in the room. Tired probably from running, when she entered she froze near the door frame. She stood there wide eyed and looked at me holding my wife's empty body rocking her like she was a baby. I was in a long trance just wanting for her to wake up…she looked like she was going to be sick. After she covered her mouth and tears formed in her eyes, she let out a scream, a terrifying one. I cringed and finally noticed that she was there. But I only looked at her for a few seconds and then I turned back to look at Faye, every time I looked at her it was like I had discovered her dead again. I didn't notice when Delia left nor did I notice when the police entered the room, until they grabbed me and took her from me. I was pissed, they had taken her life and now they wanted to take what was left of her. But then I realized it wasn't them who had taken her life it was someone else.

Detectives came in trying to see if I had something to do with Faye's death, they tried to calm me down, but nothing could. I was also lifeless. When they retrieved all the evidence they needed they hurried to take out Faye's body into the ambulance. My heart tore up even more and I ran to her once more, but only to be pulled back by two men. I let out one last cry…

Later that day Trowa showed up, he said nothing. He knew there was nothing he could say to make me feel better, so he did the only thing he could, he cried with me something I never saw him do before. I told him to take care of Maisha for a while. I couldn't look at my little girl, what would I say when she'd asked where her mommy was? How could I even look at her?

A few days later the cops called me up.

"Mr. Maxwell, we have found no evidence that you were involved in your wife's death."

"I know that already…I wouldn't hurt my wife. Do you know who killed her?"

"Uh…Mr. Maxwell, with all the evidence we have been lead to believe that no one killed your wife… it was act of suicide."

Death laughed at me again, it looked at me and laughed like it were a demon that I couldn't shake off and I wanted to kill everybody in that room even myself.

The cops closed the case and I went home. I reminded myself that I had a little girl to take care of, a little girl that no longer had a mother but did have father that loved her immensely.

**:::::END FLASHBACK::::::**

I looked at Duo the whole time he was talking, he whimpered when he mentioned her name, his voice cracked from time to time, and I actually felt his pain. I felt tears threatening to come out, but still I fought them and held them back, I didn't want Duo to feel worse.

"Duo…I…I'm," before I could finish I embraced Duo, he sobbed and wept, his face on my left shoulder, I could feel my shirt getting wet with his tears, but I didn't care it was the least of my worries. After he finished I let him go and I could see it in his face, he said that I looked tire but he was far worse. At having him so close to me I could see the dark circles of his eyes, the pale complexion of his once peached color skin and the absence of pink in his cheeks.

"Duo you should rest… we'll talk tomorrow if you'd like." I meant it, I wanted to be there for him at least this once, I know I missed a lot in seven years, however it was the best I could do.

"You're right, thanks Heero, for everything. You're a great buddy…" he said trying to be himself again ad he patted me on the back and headed for his bedroom door.

"Goodnight, Heero."

"Good night."

**O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O**

The nightmare was the same. Quatre smiling and then his smile fades away, his image replaced with his casket. I wake up panting and sweating like I always do, the only thing different this time is that I had an observer watching me carefully. I looked at the clock; it read 9:00 a.m. My spectator spoke after a while.

"Did you have nightmare uncle Heero?"

"Uh…yeah I guess it was," I sit up and drowsily try to adjust my eyes to the newfound light.

"My mommy always told me to drink a glass of water…and then to say a little prayer…like 'holy God please…pretty please…make the nightmare go away' and he always listens and makes it go away." I was amused by her advice; she smiled at me happily like she had found the cure to a disease. I avoided commenting on her advice, so she decided to talk again.

"Uncle Heero…" she waited for me to reply.

"Yes."

"I'm hungry…." I laughed from within as she blushed while she said it. She was kind of cute.

"Okay… I'll make something."

I told her to go watch television while I changed into decent clothes. I figured Duo would still be sleeping, since he was always the last of the pilots to wake up.

"Mai, could you wake your father up?"

"Daddy's not here."

"What?" I proceeded to ask her, "What do you mean by not here?"

"Yesterday he said good-bye to me. He said he would be back for me in a week. That I should behave and be a good girl, he needs to get all our stuff so we can move."

I tried to let the information sink in, when it did I headed to where I had assumed a sleeping Duo would be found, but the bed was made and on top was what seemed to be an envelope with my goddamn name on it.

_:Duo you son of bitch! Where did you go?:_

Angry, confused, annoyed, I didn't know what to feel, he went to who knows where and left only a letter, what the fuck was he thinking?

"Uncle Heero. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just... forget it."

"Don't worry, he'll come back, he told me so and he said he would _never_ leave me ever! I believe him and you have to believe him too."

_:It's me I don't trust not Duo…what am I going to do now?:_

"Ummm…Uncle Heero sir…I'm still hungry…"

X.o.X

I know this chapter is kind of short but I still hope is better than the last. Thanks to jdeppgirl4 who reviewed! Thank you so much, next chapter will have more to do with Maisha and Heero I promise. Please keep on reading and keep sending the Reviews!

Much love to all of you!

P.S. The song Maisha sang to Duo is called "Cuppycake song" it's a really adorable song; I don't own it so don't sue. And Maisha does mean 'Life', I chose Maisha without actually knowing, but after a while I was looking into name meanings and found that Maisha meant life, I was so excited cause it goes perfectly with this fic! It's just extra information!

I also wanted to try the P.O.V thing; I'm not completely convinced it will work out for the rest of the story though. We'll see how it goes.

R&R Please! I need to know if it's worth continuing. Blessings everyone!


	3. One laugh

**Disclaimer: **Again I do not own Gundam Wing or it's characters but thank you so much for those who created such a great show especially Heero .

**Note: **From here on I have to say that Heero will be a bit OOC and as the fic progresses he will be even more OOC so if you're not fond of these kinds of fics I apologize but due to the point of the fic he will have to act like so…

**Extra note:**

Another thing, Satta Kurosama bought to my attention something about the age, so here's the thing: I mentioned that Heero had been missing for 7 years, that's all I said, so I imagined while writing the fic that Duo's wedding happened a two years after the endless waltz making the pilots 18 years old, Trowa 19. Maisha was born a year later making Duo a father at the age of 19, if I'm mistaken please correct me, same with Heero and the rest except Trowa who would have been 20. Now Heero left the same year of the wedding, adding the seven years he would now be 24 years old. I'm sorry if it's confusing but Satta makes a good point… thanks Satta!!

**SWEET LULLABY**

**Chapter 3: One laugh**

O.x.O.x.O.x.O.x.O.x.O.x.O.x.O

Heero looked down at the hungry little guest standing in front of him; she made him puppy eyes that seemed to entertain him. With a sigh he put the letter on the small night table next to the bed that Duo supposed to have occupied but hadn't. After he had done so he gave a last glance at the letter and the bed, made a mental note to remember to come back and read it, after he had computerized his brain to do that, he headed to the kitchen with a bouncing-skipping Maisha behind him. He opened the refrigerator door and let out a deep groan while gripping angrily at the refrigerator door, he then remembered that he didn't do shopping very well, the only visible things in the fridge were a couple cans of soda and a mouldy old cheese. His stomach soon reminded him that he hadn't eaten anything the last day and now was claiming to be fed.

_::Heero: How could I have forgotten to eat? …and there's nothing in the fridge::_

He searched every cabinet for any edible objects, whether it was any rice goods, can goods or cereal that would do. But nothing whatsoever, when did he get so lazy that he had nothing to eat in the house? He suddenly heard a small grumbling sound, he touched his stomach but noticed it wasn't his at all but instead it was of his hungry guest. He arched an eyebrow and Maisha's face turned crimson red from embarrassment.

Finally after going through the whole kitchen he decided to do something else.

"What day is today?" He said to no one in particular and searched for anything that would inform him of the day he was in, but he received an answer either way.

"It's Sunday!"

"Oh… well since it's Sunday I always go out to eat breakfast," he said nonchalantly. It was a lie, because he usually didn't have food and had to eat out most of the time.

"Really?!" She asked excited, she was getting sad when she saw that Heero couldn't find anything to eat, she thought she was going to starve.

"Aha. So why don't you go change and we can go eat to a diner that's nearby."

"YAY!! I'll only take 5 minutes…I promise!"

But 5 minutes turned to 10 minutes and then 15. Heero was getting restless and started wondering what had happened to the young replica of Duo. So he decided to go check on her, he knocked lightly on the door even though it was halfway open, he didn't want to startle the little girl. A quiet, depressed voice came out of the room.

"Come in…_-sigh-_" He went inside and saw her sitting there her sad gaze was directed to her feet.

"What's wrong?"

"Umm…nothing… is just that…" She hesitated, and her cheeks turned rosy again.

Heero frowned _:: oh no is she sick? Is she sad? What if it's both?!:: _He dealt with war, he dealt with life risking situations but he had never dealt with a sad or sick child. This wasn't supposed to happen, Duo didn't even give him any directions, he never trained for this _::can you even train for this?::_.

"Are you feeling sick? Is something bothering you? Do you rather stay?" he asked all at once.

"No…it's not that… it's just…" she kept on staring at her feet, Heero felt slightly alarmed, she wasn't saying much so he really didn't know what to do. What did Duo do in situations like these?

Just to make sure he put his hand on her forehead as to check her temperature, Maisha giggled at the sight of his worried look, Heero looked at her dumbfounded and actually felt hurt at her reaction.

"I'm not sick uncle Heero… it's just that… I can't tie my shoelaces... my daddy does it for me." She said embarrassed, Heero blinked a few times and took a deep breath. He grabbed one of Mai's feet gently and started lacing her shoe, after finishing with the first he grabbed the second one, he laced both of her shoes in a tidy and perfect manner, Maisha gawked happily at her now tied shoes. Her white tennis like shoes went with her jean skirt and white flower blouse. She had done her hair in pigtails although not perfectly done since Duo also did that for her and before Duo her mother. But she was glad now that he had Heero to at least lace her shoes.

"Thank you, uncle Heero Yuy…sir." He couldn't help but shake his head in amusement when she used sir at the end of his name.

"Come on, we're already late, I think we're going to have to actually eat lunch." He said sarcastically but Maisha didn't take it that way, since Heero's cold attitude made it hard to actually guess when he was being sarcastic or making a joke. Not that he ever made any kind of joke. Mai felt guilty and thought that he was mad, so she stopped abruptly and looked at the floor in shame with tears starting to fill up in her beautiful violet eyes. Heero heard a slight whimper and looked back at where Maisha was standing.

He knelt down by her and looked at her intensely trying to find the cause of this certain reaction. Her small mouth was cover by a frown and her eyes wrinkled in sorrowful blame.

"It's my fault isn't it…" she sobbed.

"What?"

"It's my fault we're not going to be in time to eat breakfast… and you need to get your breakfast because my daddy…_- whimpering-_…always says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day." She blurted out with her hands in her eyes rubbing them so she could stop crying.

_::Heero: Now I know why I should keep my mouth shut::_

"I didn't mean it that way, it was just a sarcastic comment… we'll still make it," Heero reassured her while gently wiping away some of her tears with his hand, she felt better now that he said it wasn't her fault. He looked at her glossy eyes and noticed how they looked exactly like Duo's, her face features were like him too. His imagination played Duo on his mind making him wonder if probably the braided baka looked like her when he was little. Duo was often mistaken for a girl, so it wouldn't be strange if he would've looked like his daughter when younger.

"So you were just being sarcatastic…what is sarcatastic?" He felt a small laugh wanting to come out but held it back. He hadn't felt amused in a long time not even the need to laugh. This was a going to be a long day.

**X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X**

Later that day, after they got breakfast, Heero and Maisha went to the grocery store and bought some instant meals just for the day.

They walked to the 10 story building that was a few blocks away from the grocery store and Maisha greeted cheerfully to the chubby doorman that opened the glass door, "Hi Mr. Harry!" , Harry looked at her with a beaming smile and waving one of his chubby hands, "Miss Maisha welcome back! Mr. Yuy…" Heero nodded and entered the building with Mai.

_::Heero: Hn. So that's how they got in so easily::_

They grabbed the elevator and waited for it to get them to their destination with Mai humming all the way to the apartment. Mai liked the apartment, she had never been in one so big. It was a studio apartment, it had the first floor and than had stairs to go up to a half a floor where the rooms were located. The stairs were a transparent glass like material. Mai wondered if all the apartments in the building were like her uncle's.

_::Maisha: I'm going to ask daddy if we can move here::_

Mai stopped humming when they entered the apartment she looked up questioningly at her uncle, "Can I watch T.V?"

He headed for the kitchen and responded her question while he was heading there, "Go ahead." The little girl grabbed his arm softly, that made him stop dead on his track he had no idea he had been followed. He thought she was still by the door. Cobalt blue eyes stared at her questioningly, he felt that her grip wasn't letting go until she finally spoke, "Will you go watch with me?"

"Hn. I can't I have to finish work." He said coldly.

Her head dropped down in defeat and sadness. She pouted as she headed to living room and plopped herself on the couch while grabbing the remote. Heero watched her every move and let out a sigh of also defeat, he headed to Mai's direction and startle the little girl. He sat down next to her without saying a word. Mai's pouting turned into a big smile and she gave him a huge hug, Heero was startle to this spontaneous move, he didn't do anything just sat there with his arms to his side and somewhat blushing. The hug was soon finished and Heero was left still blushing and Mai turned to the t.v once more. With her right hand fingers she pushed the upper changing channel button and flipped through the channels until she saw a show that she really enjoyed.

He looked attentive at the images in the box, he rarely watched television and when he did it was always in the same channel and at the same time when the news came on. He never really cared to look beyond that channel, he had no need. Now he was actually curious as to what exactly the images represented, it was like nothing he had ever seen.

"What are they?" He asked still looking at the show.

"They're turtles," Mai said all knowingly.

"If they're turtles, how can they talk? And how is it that they know karate so well?" He questioned in a matter of fact tone.

Mai giggled at Heero's sudden interest and what seemed funny questions to her, "it's a cartoon uncle Heero."

"Cartoon…" He said trying to figure out what that was.

Mai noticed this and looked at her uncle in wonder, she had to ask, "You've never watched a cartoon before?!" Heero motioned his head into a 'no'.

"How could you go on all these years without cartoons?!" she shrieked. Heero shrugged as a response to her question. He thought about it for a while, when he was a boy he didn't have television, and even though Dr. J had one he never let him watch it, Dr. J barely did himself. All he knew as a boy was training and to this day he never had an interest to indulge himself on normal activities thus including watching television. All he did now was work, non-stop just to make him forget his past.

Mai looked at him and broke his trance, she started explaining the whole plot of the show, how the turtles got the way they were, who they could trust and not to trust, who the bad guys were. Heero was paying exclusive attention to her every word. He seemed very interested and was actually enjoying the fictitious plot.

"That's why they're called Ninja Turtles!" She giggled when she finished her explanation.

"But how is it that a simple mutation can turn them into human like forms?"

Mai arched her eyebrows and tried to understand what he had just said, but all she could come up with was a simple yet helpful answer, "Well… I don't know… they're just cartoons uncle Heero, they're not real."

"Oh." He said, understanding the not so complex situation.

They watched some more cartoons and Mai explained each one to him. He watched the cartoon and paid attention to Mai when he had to. He decided the cartoons were actually funny even if he didn't really laugh at them. After one of the shows ended he looked at the watch, they had been watching cartoons for 5 hours, it was almost dinner time and they had skipped lunch.

"I'm going to make something for dinner," Heero said while getting up from the couch, he had never watched so much television in his life that he didn't even notice the time.

Mai turned off the t.v and followed him to the kitchen, she saw all the instant meals they had bought at the grocery store, there were a few can soups and instant mashed potatoes in a box. Mai picked up something she had picked while they were there, a box of her favorite Mc and Cheese. Heero looked at her as she stared at the box thoughtfully. He took the blue box from her hands and started reading the instructions. They seemed simple enough so he began boiling the water, Mai sat down in a breakfast stool. She watched as her uncle prepared the rest of the meal.

She felt and awkward silence, she hated when things were quiet, so she decided to start a conversation.

"How come you're not married?"

Heero chocked at the question, he thought about it while adding the dust of the cheese to the macaronis. _:: Married? I never thought about getting married to anyone. It's something only normal people can have. I never even had a normal relationship. Not even with Relena… was it even a relationship?:: _

Maisha waited for the answer, Heero looked back at the curious little guest.

"I don't know," he finally said.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

A girlfriend, he never really had a girlfriend, he saw women once in a while but he just slept with them, he never really had the curiosity to get to know them. Some of them tried to get to know him, but every time they did he closed up and told them he didn't want to see them anymore.

Woman found him very attractive, he wasn't as skinny as he used to be when he was 15 and you could say he was now almost as tall as Trowa. He had built up into a very handsome man, his hair was still a mess even if he tried to fix it, when he did it only got worse so he learn to live with it and even his hair gave him a hint of mystery making him more desirable. His eyes were still cold maybe even more than what they used to be, but still the color was beautiful, the cobalt blue eyes took breaths away from any women that had a small chance to even glance at them.

He thought about Relena, but they never saw each other, when he was called up by the Preventers to secure her safety in big events it was he who saw her, he could feel sometimes that she knew he was there. But nothing else, he never really thought of her as someone who he could have a relationship with, she was his past, a past he didn't want to go back to.

"Well…." Mai said still waiting for his response.

"Hn." Was all Heero said and turned back to the dinner he was preparing. Mai being like every other curious child that's not easily satisfied with grunts as answers decided to push a little bit further, "Weeelll…"

"You shouldn't need to know these things," he couldn't believe he was actually explaining himself to a kid.

"My daddy said that you're grumpy because you don't have girlfriend…"

Heero was getting irritated, he served a plate of macaroni and cheese and placed it forcefully on the breakfast table in front of the girl.

"You're daddy is-" He stopped himself and glanced at her, he slowly turned back to serving his own plate.

Mai felt bad when she saw Heero turn around and angrily shoved the macaroni's into his plate like he wanted to murder them, "Gomen nasai," she said softly. She had heard him speak Japanese in the diner on his cell phone, but didn't really understand the whole conversation.

"You can speak Japanese?" Heero asked still with his back turned away from her.

"Not really, just a few words, my auntie Evie taught me a little bit when she came over to visit us."

"Evie?" He thought out loud.

"Do you know her?"

"No," he replied, retracting himself from what he had thought out loud. He remembered Evie, witty and annoying brat who thought she knew everything, he didn't like her very much. It had been a few years since he had seen her.

"Oh. Well you should meet her, she's a very nice person…and fun too…" She said while grabbing a spoon full of her macaroni and cheese.

**X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X**

They finished eating dinner. Maisha played with her dolls for a while and Heero started working on a presentation he had to show at work the next day. It was a lot of work, he hadn't done anything for the whole week, he just wasn't up to it. Now there he was stuck reading from ten thick software books and typing furiously whatever new information he thought was necessary.

After two hours of researching and planning, he only had the beginning of the presentation done. He ran his right hand through his hair, and tilted his head back with exasperation. After stretching a bit he looked at his watch. It was getting late, he heard Mai giggle softly and she still seemed to be playing.

"Little girl!" he called out so the girl could hear. Maisha ran happily to his room and poked her head by the door.

"Yes uncle Heero?" She said while glancing at all the books Heero had on his office like table. His room was big, maybe because he didn't have much, it was just a bed, a closet and the office desk. It was still messy with different books and papers on the floor.

"You should go to sleep." He said plainly. Then it hit him, he had to go to work the next day, _::shit::_

"Okay." She was about to skip to her room but stopped and entered Heero's room. Heero arched an eyebrow in question, he had no chance to ask or say anything when he was already being embraced by the little girl, she stood tip toed and reached Heero's cheek and pecked it lightly.

"Oyasumi nasai." She said while skipping out of his room. (1)

"Oyasumi."

Heero puffed as he lowered his eyebrow and returned to his work.

**X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X**

"Hey kid, wake up."

He softly nudged her until finally Mai's eyelids fluttered and opened sleepily. She rubber her eyes and motioned herself up on the bed.

"G'mornin uncle Heero!" She said excitedly.

"Morning. I'm going to have to take you to work with me, because I don't have anyone to leave you with," he informed her.

"Really?!" She asked wide-eyed. Mai was glad that she was going to accompany him to work; Heero on the other hand wasn't sharing the same feeling.

Maisha ran to the bathroom, she took a shower and then she headed to the bedroom and took out a cute sunflower dress from her small pink case. She got dressed and asked Heero to lace her white tennis shoes again. She grabbed her trusty old pink bunny with her just in case she might need support.

Mai looked at Heero, he was dressed differently, not like when she met him the first time. This time he was dressed with black suit pants, black shiny shoes, a black blazer and a white shirt with two undone buttons without a tie. He looked very formal, it suited him well, even though his hair was still messy he looked very handsome.

They went to the buildings parking lot, Mai followed Heero wondering what kind of car he had and since they walked to the diner she didn't even think he owned a car. Suddenly they came to a halt; Mai looked at their means of transportation that was in front of her.

_::Maisha: this is definitely not a car::. _She stared at it in awe, it was a silver ninja motorcycle and Mai had never ridden in one. Her mom would have never allowed it, she smiled when she remembered when her dad wanted to get one and her mom wouldn't let him, but her thoughts were soon interrupted when she felt a pair of hands picking her up.

She bit her lip and held on tight to 'honey' her bunny until she was at last seated in the soft motorcycle seat, it was a very beautiful bike, she thought, but she was now officially scared. Heero placed the extra helmet on her head, but it was too big for her.

"It'll have to do, it's the only one I have," he said with his husky voice.

"It's okay."

Heero put on his own helmet; he hopped on the motorcycle and started it. Fifteen minutes is all they took to arrive at the huge building. After parking they headed to the front glass doors, the company seemed very glamorous.

"Am I going to be in your office?" Mai looked at him hopefully.

"No. You'll be staying in the day care that the company has. It's summer vacation so there will be other kids for you to play with." Heero stated.

"A day care?! I thought-"

"There's not going to be a discussion about it," Heero said directly, his face was strict and emotionless. Mai followed him quietly to the elevator, she watched as he pressed the button that had 15 on it. There were 30 buttons plus the emergency and such.

The elevator doors opened once the elevator stopped in the 15th floor and they stepped out of the elevator and into the floor. Mai saw a group of girls and boys her age and a few that were a little bit older than her, it suddenly felt like her first day of school, it wasn't such a good feeling, she didn't fit in quite well she never could figure out why. The truth matter was that most girls in her old school were into things that she thought little girls shouldn't be into at their age, things like fashion, movie stars and make up. Mai was a down to earth ball and doll playing girl and the boys didn't really accept girls in their group so she usually played by herself.

"Do I really have to stay here? Can't I go with you?" She made him puppy eyes while pleading, but this time Heero didn't fall for it or more likely he couldn't.

"Yes you have to; I can't take care of you right now." He said.

"Why hello… who do we have here?" Asked a very tall lady as she approached them, she had glasses and looked like a kindergarten teacher, the only difference being that she was dressed in a woman's business suit. She had dark brown hair made into a bun, long slender legs and was very skinny.

"This is Maisha…" Heero said while pushing her forward softly.

"Hi Maisha, welcome… I bet you're going to have lot's of fun here, while you're father works…" She said in a kiddie voice and then she looked at Heero up and down almost eating him with her gaze, Maisha contemplated on what she had just said and just like her tone of voice, to her it was all fake.

"He's not my daddy," she said bluntly.

The woman chewed a bit on her lip in a flirtatious manner and said, "Oh… really… well than, you just run along and play with the others."

Maisha glanced up at her uncle who just looked very uninterested and hoped that he would take her with him. But all she received was a small glare, she stomped off annoyed while dragging Honey along the floor into the corner of the room where there were small tables with chairs.

"I'll take good care of her Mr…" She waited for his answer.

"Good, if something should happen to her I will hold you fully responsible. And it's Yuy." She shuddered at his cold response.

Heero looked at Maisha for the last time, he didn't like to see her sad, maybe because he thought she had been through enough at her age. He stepped in the elevator once more and gave the lady one last warning glare. She jolted a bit, yet still she found him extremely sexy. She waved a paper like a fan from her sudden rise of temperature.

"So you're the new kid?" A skinny platinum blonde girl said to Maisha, with other two girl's behind her.

"I'm Krystal, but they call me Krissy," said the red headed girl behind the blonde one. Maisha smiled sweetly at her, while the blonde one gave her a snobby glare along with the black haired girl that was behind her.

"Name's Maisha, you can call Mai." She said in an affirmative tone.

"My name is Brenda Connelly Deverou," the blonde girl stated proudly, "and she is Jera Ling Sou," she pointed out to the black haired girl.

"Nice to meet you," Mai said while offering her hand, but neither took it. Krissy felt bad on how mean her 'friends' were acting. Mai let her hand down but she didn't feel bad, she was used to snobby girls like her from her old school.

"How old are you?" asked Brenda.

"I'm five and a half," Mai answered assertively.

"That means we're older than you…that's too bad you can't be in our club," Jera said in a contemptuous way. Mai didn't care, she didn't want to get a long with anybody anyway, all she wanted to do was go home right now and see her daddy.

"Yes she can!" yelled Krissy, "there's no rule that says that 5 years old can't join, besides she's almost six and I'm six too!"

Mai smiled at her and the others looked at their friend in discontentment.

"Fine," retorted the blonde girl, "you're Yuy's daughter aren't you? It's weird how he never bought you around, what is he ashamed of having you for a daughter?"

Maisha controlled herself and tried to let that question slip by.

"He's not my father, he's my uncle," she answered manifestly.

"Oh. Makes sense my mom said Heero Yuy is weird, so that would be weird if he had a child," Jera said.

"Jera that's not nice," Krissy said, she looked over at Mai, she could see that Mai wasn't happy about the comment.

"Well now it makes sense why his niece is so weird. I mean look at her, who in there right minds would wear white tennis shoes with a dress and her ugly bunny is weird too" Brenda teased Mai and laughed, she looked at her up and down.

"Brenda!" Krissy couldn't believe what she was hearing; she knew they were mean but not this extent. She figured they were jealous they always attacked the girls that they thought were a threat, in other words prettier.

"Well it's true, even my mom thinks her uncle is weird and dumb," Brenda made a feisty face.

Mai couldn't control herself anymore, she was holding back, but this was too much.

"My uncle is not weird and he's not dumb either!! He's smarter than both of your stupid mommy's combined!!" She blurted out.

"That's not true! My mommy is president of the company she won you're idiot uncle for the job. She could have him fired if she wanted." Brenda snapped back

"You're dumb mommy probably stole it from him. He's the smartest person I know. He was reading a whole bunch of books yesterday, I bet your mommy can't even read one!" Mai said about to grab the blonde girls hair.

"You're stupid, and you're uncle stupid and I bet you that you're mommy and daddy are stupid too," Brenda said. And that did it, Mai lunged for the blonde girl, even though Brenda was a bit taller than her she was clearly winning. She had her on the floor, they rolled, but Mai had all control.

"Ahhh…. Get her off me!!" Brenda screamed desperately, but when she try to squirm off, Mai pushed her back down.

"Ms. Kendra! Ms. Kendra! You have to come…" Krissy pulled the lady that was gawking at Heero before.

"What's going on here?!" she cried out, she pulled Mai away from Brenda. Mai tried lunging at her again and again but Kendra didn't let her.

"Little girl, what is your problem?!" Kendra screamed at Mai.

"Mrs. Kendra, she hit me first, all I was trying to do was make friends with her," lied Brenda, who's dress was all messed up and not to mention her hair that looked like it had been electrified.

"Go to that corner!" Kendra told Mai while pointing to a corner in the room.

"But, I-"

"Just go!"

"It wasn't her fault…" Krissy tried to convince Kendra that it was Brenda who started but she didn't listen. Besides, Kendra knew better than to mess with the president's company daughter. Brenda dragged Krissy along with Jera.

Mai picked up her bunny while she walked to the chair on the corner of the room. She fought back her tears, she was angry and wanted to rip the platinum locks out of Brenda's hair, how could she be so mean? How could she say that about her mom? She didn't even know her, but then again she didn't know Brenda's mom either. She began to remember her mother again and this time she couldn't hold them any longer hot tears streamed down her face.

"What's her name?" Mai turned to look at the strangers' voice. It was a boy; he looked about her age, blonde hair and pretty sea blue eyes. She was amazed by the color of his eyes, she had never seen a color so pretty before.

"What?" Mai said wiping away her tears and sniffling.

"The bunny, it's a her right?" He said pointing at the bunny she held in the most protective manner. Mai nodded.

"Her name is Honey," she whispered.

"It's a pretty name, for a pretty bunny," he said smiling sweetly. This cheered her up, nobody said that to her before especially a boy.

"My mother gave it to me. She died." The boy frowned, when she said those words.

"My daddy died. I never met him."

"Oh… I'm sorry, that must be so sad."

"It's okay. I guess you're lucky, you at least got to know your mommy." Mai nodded but still felt bad for the boy. She had never thought about that way, she was sad that she had lost her mother and felt unhappy, but know that she was thinking about it at least she got to know her and spent time with her.

"I'm Deux, you're name is Mai isn't it?" The boy said politely, he extended his hand and she shook it.

"Yeah, I may run and hide but I never tell a lie, that's me in a nutshell," Mai got up and pointed a finger to the ceiling. Deux giggled at Mai's statement, he found it cute and amusing.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Mai in a nutshell," Mai blushed when he smiled at her, "do you want to play with me?"

"Really?!"

"Yeah," he offered her a hand, she took it, and they went and played a lot of games, from blocks to coloring.

"Can you believe that Deux is playing with that girl?! He doesn't even talk to other boys or anyone?!?" Jera said alarmed.

Krissy smiled, at least Mai wasn't alone, she thought.

**X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X**

Heero finished the presentation, the investors were amazed by the work he had put into the presentation, even though it was done over night, he had done a very good job. He showed the pros and cons of the new virus that they wanted and the developing of the antivirus. He felt hypocrite at times, making antivirus for viruses that they created also. But it was what he was getting paid to do.

"We accept the proposal, we want the product," said a Chinese man.

"Great, we'll have it ready for you in a month," stated a short slender woman with platinum blond hair, her features similar to Brenda's.

"Alright, thank you for the wonderful presentation," said a CEO from another company.

They all shook hands and closed the deal. Like always the blonde woman who was President of the company took credit for everything, including Heero's presentation. Heero didn't give a damn about it; he did the work because he needed the money and had nothing else to do. But he was offered the place of presidency and declined it. Rina, now president of the company decided that she would take it, her father was head of the company, but he knew that Heero was the hardest worker there and he was the one that helped the company rise. But since Heero declined that place, he gave it to his daughter, a spoiled brat like his grand-daughter Brenda.

"Nice work Yuy," Rina grabbed him by the waist, Heero pulled away, "tell me Heero, are you afraid of me, or is it that you just don't like woman?" she said getting annoyed.

"Is just woman like you who I dislike," Heero glared at her with the up most passion, he couldn't stand her.

"Watch it Yuy," she warned.

**X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X**

Heero left without saying another word. He hurried and grabbed the first elevator that opened its doors and pressed the 15th button. Once the doors opened he started to search for Mai and spotted her instantly. She was with the blonde boy playing with some puzzles.

"Let's go," Heero patted Maisha on the head.

"Uncle Heero!!" She squealed.

"Mr. Yuy," Deux greeted, Heero nodded as a greeting. He looked at the boy for an instant and then looked at Mai, he suddenly felt angry, she had a scratch on her face, her forehead looked red and untaken care of.

"Kid, what happened to you?"

Mai touched her forehead where the scratch was.

"Gomen uncle Heero, It's just-" she started but was interrupted by the gawking lady, Kendra.

"She started a fight with Mrs. Deverou's daughter."

Heero felt a twitch in his eye, Brenda was two years older than Mai, how could she pick a fight with a girl younger then her. _::Heero: I guess it runs in the family::_

He glared at Kendra, she moved back a step and waved her hands.

"It wasn't my fault, that little girl can't control herself."

"It's not true, uncle Heero! I swear I didn't-"

"You shouldn't lie Maisha, it's wrong…" Kendra kept on interrupting Mai. Heero looked at Mai and he could tell she wasn't lying; he picked her up into his arms like a baby, and left without saying anything, because if he did he probably wouldn't control himself. He stopped when he saw the blonde boy in front of him worried.

"She's telling the truth, she didn't start, it was Brenda and Jera who started, please bring her back again!"

Heero looked at the boy, he seemed warm and kind, the worried look on his face reminded him a very dear friend. He motioned a yes and kept on walking, Mai waved good bye from Heero's neck.

"Bye Deux, it was nice meeting you!"

"You too Mai! Take care! Come back soon!" He yelled after her.

Kendra didn't say another word and watched Heero leave with Mai in his arms.

Once outside the building, he set her down on the ground.

"Why were you fighting?" Heero interrogated her in his monotone soldier mode.

"I didn't started it-"

"That's not what I asked."

"Brenda and Jera, said that my mommy and daddy were stupid," Heero listened carefully, "and they said that you were dumb too and it's a lie cause you're really smart, I saw you reading all those big books yesterday and working 'till the morning… and my dad said that you were really smart too.. so see that's why I got mad when she said that. She said that her mommy was better than you and that you were weird and that's why you weren't president and-"

Heero was astounded, this little girl got into a fight to defend him, she barely knew him and the time they had spent together he wasn't the warmest person, yet there she was with a big red scratch on her forehead because she defended him. Mai was afraid of what he had to say, afraid that he would tell her that what she did was wrong, but instead he crouched down to her height.

"Arigatou, Mai…" she felt so happy, it was the first time he had called her Mai, not little girl or kid, he called her by her name, "you have to understand, you're father trusted me with you. I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

Mai nodded and hugged Heero, the hug made Heero lose his balance and fall flat on the ground with Mai. She covered her mouth with both of her hands.

"I'm sorry uncle Heero, sir." But Heero couldn't hold on to it any longer, this time it was too much, it had been building up for a long time, his head was tilted down as if looking to the ground, Mai was getting scared he didn't say anything, until he heard a noise come from him. He chuckled, then he laughed, Heero laughed. For the first time in a very long time he laughed. Maisha thought it was the cutest laugh she'd ever heard, he laughed hard and Maisha did the same. One laugh made the sadness go away, that laugh made all the difference for that moment.

After that they walked to the parking lot on their way, a man standing in the corner handed Mai a piece of paper.

"COME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WONDER, COME TO THE CIRCUS! IT'LL BE HERE THE NEXT WEEK FOR TWO WEEKS DON'T MISS OUT!" The man yelled.

Mai tried reading the paper, "Co…com…come to the…" Heero took the paper from her and read it on the way.

"Isn't that uncle Trowa's circus!?!" Mai asked excited. Heero stopped and re-read the piece of paper, and in a small picture in the background stood Trowa with his clown mask and Catherine with her knives.

"Can we go? Please…please…please can we go, I want to see uncle Trowa… pleaseeeeeee!!" She pleaded with her best puppy eyes, "I'll be good I promise, I won't fight anymore!"

"We'll see."

_To be continued…_

(AN (1): Oyasumi nasai is a polite way to say Good-night)

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READ AND REVIEW PEOPLE!

Lot's of LOVE to you Readers and writers!

I hope you enjoyed this fic! I'm trying to work hard on it; I'm having fun writing it, and thank you so much to the people that reviewed. You give me hope and make me really happy!!

**Thanks to**

**Axcushate **for the review and for reading, I really appreciate it, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**ConquerorAlexander **I'm so glad you like Maisha and the fic it makes me so happy, seriously thank you thank you!! And yes It's sad what happened to Duo and Maisha, I hope it came up right though. THANKS AGAIN!

**Jdeppgirl4 **Thank you for still reading the fic and reviewing once again you're the best!! I hope you like this chapter and keep reading XD

**Someone **thanks for the review and for liking the story…and yes he will reunite with the rest in due time… I hope you like it so far thank you so much for reading and reviewing!!!

**Shadylady666 **Thanks for the review and for the tips and critiques they have been taken to account, thanks again for reading.

**Wicked **Like I said before I apologize for adding Shrek but well the explanation is on the last chapter, I'm sorry you didn't like that, but well is hard to actually come up with anything cartoon in the future… anyway thanks for reading and the review I appreciate it!

**Zero0001 **Thanks for reading and for the review!! You gave me hope too cause I almost lost it lol!! Thanks!

**Satta Kurosama **Thank you for taking time to read this fic and reviewing it! You know I'm a fan of your fics so here's some propaganda…. PEOPLE WHO READ THIS FIC VISIT SATTA KUROSAMA SHE HAS SOME GREAT GUNDAM WING FICS…SO GO … XD thanks again!

**Also special thanks for those who actually added this story as a favorite or added me as a favorite author, you know who you are it is an honor! I almost cried, I swear, thank you so much for your support. ****YOU GUYS ROCK!!! T.T**


	4. Day at the Circus

**Disclaimer:** As always I do not own Gundam Wing… sadly… but true.

**A/N: **First of all I would like to thank deeply ConquerorAlexander for being my beta (you're the best!) and for not giving up on me and my writing.

Okay, now on to business, I'm sorry for taking long to update but I'm busy with classes and homework and so on… I had this chapter done few weeks ago but I thought about holding it until I finished chapter 5, but I couldn't take it anymore and had to post it up to see what you guys think!! So read on and enjoy… XD

**SWEET LULLABY**

**Chapter 4:** _**Day at the Circus**_

_The ceremony… it_ _took place in L2 colony cluster. Duo entered the_ _**Maxwell Church**__, with Heero by his side and the rest of his friends behind him. The former Deathscythe pilot dropped down on his knees, his hands on the red velvet carpet and tears falling like crystal rain_ _drops_ _from his piercing violet eyes._

_Quatre shoved his_ _partners_ _aside and made_ _way for himself to Duo's current position. He too knelt down and placed one of his soft_ _hands_ _onto his shoulder. "Duo,_ _are you okay?" he was suddenly alarmed when he_ _got no response from his cheery_ _friend, "please, say something, you're scaring me."_

_Duo slowly turned his head over to see Quatre in the_ _eyes;_ _he managed to crack a smile. "I'm just… overwhelmed, that's all. I never thought I would be back here."_

_His long braid dangled from side to side as he pushed himself up, he offered Quatre a hand_ _and pulled him up. He wiped away the watery substance of his cheeks and glanced at his friends, they were the first ones to arrive at the church._

"_Thank you, for being with me today. I won't be sad right now, the past is the past, and my_ _future, our future has begun. So screw the past, let's live the present and welcome the future!!" Duo said back in his joyous tone._

"_Well said Duo!" Quatre cheered. The rest nodded and Wufei gave him a smile in contentment._

"_What kind of language is that in God's holy home?!" An old priest shrieked_ _jokingly_ _as he grabbed Duo's braid._

_The braided pilot startled by the old man turned around as fast as his reflexes let him. He stared at the old man and quirked an eyebrow when the image of his face was analyzed by his memory. "FATHER BRIAN?!" he screamed in excitement and hugged the old priest._

"_My boy, I never thought I would see you again…" father Brian spoke softly as he patted Duo's back, "I'm glad that_ _you're okay…and to see that your about to make a life of your own."_

"_I'm glad to see that you're alive also! I thought the rebels had gotten to ya…"_

"_You know I run and hide but I never die," the priest slightly modified what he remembered was Duo's famous saying when he first met him, they laughed at the innocently mocked remark. "I'm only sorry that I couldn't do anything…I should've-"_

_The braided boy put a hand over father Brian's shoulder and shook his head, "there was nothing that you could've done, I'm happy that at least you got out safely."_

_The priest nodded sadly and noticed the boys behind Duo, "you have great friends, they were the ones who found out about me and told me that you were getting married."_

_Duo looked back at his companions and gave them a sly grin, "so that was the mission you guys were working on…"_

_Quatre shrugged innocently, while Wufei whistled like it wasn't with him, Trowa looked at the windows as if they were more interesting and Heero crossed his arms and smirked. For the first time, Duo hadn't figured out one of Heero's missions and that satisfied the Perfect Soldier._

_Duo walked a little bit further away from the rest of the boys, he looked_ _at the church it was rebuilt_ _exactly the same, it only seemed new. The burned carpets were replaced, the walls weren't stained with blood and_ _the windows were_ _also new but with the same catholic illustrations_ _it had before._

_::Evie you outdid yourself this time::_

_He smiled once more and whispered to himself, "father Maxwell, sister Helen, I'm back…Solo, I'll live for us. I promise…"_

_x.x.x_

_As people started entering the church, it was the_ _boy's_ _cue_ _to get into their respectful positions._

_Duo's heart became a knot as the wedding march_ _began;_ _it was harmonious, with harps and violins, a very soothing melody. The bridesmaids started walking down the_ _aisle, followed by the beautiful bride, his beautiful bride._

_Her long white dress was breathtaking, her hair was let loose with white roses as a crown and her long_ _veil that_ _made her look like an angel. Duo hadn't realized he had stopped breathing,_ _until_ _what seemed like forever to him, until_ _she reached the altar_ _and smiled at him, he_ _let out the air he was containing and began to breathe once again. Faye looked at her soon to be husband with so much love and whispered the three words he longed to hear over and over. I LOVE YOU._

_The priest began the ceremony and it was time for Duo to say his vows:_

"_I,_ _Duo Maxwell, choose you Faye June Desiree to be my_ _lawful, wedded_ _wife," Duo paused and Faye looked at him expectantly, the old priest stared at Duo afraid that it was the only thing he was going to say. The priest was informed that they would make they're own wedding vows but in the midst that the groom didn't seem to have them he flipped a page in the bible. Faye's gaze turned to her_ _bouquet_ _saddened that her fiancé didn't write his vows like he had promised. The shinigami smirked at her reaction, because it was the exactly what he had wanted._

"_I promise to keep you safe, to dry_ _your tears_ _when you wake up from a bad dream, to be there every waking moment, to annoy you with every waking breath, to love you endlessly until there isn't anything more to love._

_I will never run away_ _from you', I will never tell you lies, I will never cheat on you and I'll never make you cry._

_Because like a knife through_ _butter you cut through my life to save me from myself and like the rain in a dry dessert you washed away my fears._

_I can't promise you forever but I can promise today and tomorrow and as long as this life let's us be. Wherever_ _you go,_ _I will go and where you stay,_ _I will stay. Your God will be my God. And where you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May the Lord do with me and more if_ _anything,_ _but_ _till death parts you from me,_ _I_ _will_ _love you Faye, always have and always will, so babe there's no one else I'd rather share my life with…"_

_Faye_ _gave him the brightest smile she could have ever given him, with tears on the verge of spilling. She was in love with Duo's words, but loved even more that he remained true to himself, the man she loves._

"_You thought I'd_ _forgot didn't ya?" he teased. A drop of water suddenly dropped on his forehead, he removed it with his hand and stared at it questioningly. "What the…?"_

_Faye placed a kiss on his forehead where the drop of water had been, "I will always love you Duo, I'm with you…don't give up…"_

_Duo looked at her in a staggered manner. Faye seemed to be moving farther and farther away from him and more drops kept on falling on his face._

"_What is this? Faye? Guys?" he began to panic as everything began to turn_ _pitch black._

_X.x.X_

The braided boy attempted to open his tired eyes, but only to be greeted by the same darkness he had experienced in his flashback, just like his dream. He touched his face and noticed that it was wet, -_drop-_ the culprit was a leak in the ceiling somewhere.

_::But what ceiling? Where am I? Am I still at home?::_

He felt his eyes get drowsy again, "this is definitely not normal… this… is… so… uncool," and with the last words said he felt into a deep slumber once more.

**$$-.-.-.-.-.-$$**

A week had passed already, Heero hadn't felt it at all and Mai was getting used to being around her uncle. Little Mai noticed that he wasn't as grouchy as he used to be or as sad, except for the mornings when he'd wake up agitated and with a grim expression on his face. Different nightmares haunted him almost every night and when they didn't, it was when he was too tired to actually dream about anything. That was another reason he worked until he couldn't keep his eyes opened any longer.

Heero looked at the time on his silver cell phone and checked the date while he was at it.

-It's Monday…it's been over a week- he whispered to himself.

The cell phone was returned to its old position and he lay back down on his bed with one hand on his forehead, thinking. The perfect lines of his half naked body were shined upon by the welcoming sun, he relaxed for a while catching the yellow orb's rays from his huge retro like windows.

_::Today will make it over a week… he did_ _say it might take him less_ _than a week. Maybe…_ _I'm just being paranoid::_

He decided it was time to get up and the first thing he did was check up on Mai who was still rolled in the cover like a burrito sound asleep. She had been a good girl like she promised on the days he had taken her to work with him. She had grown fond of Deux and he was happy to finally get along with someone.

Heero had never really paid much attention to the 8 year old, although the first time he saw him he was astonished by his appearance. He looked so much like his past away friend, so much that when he saw him he couldn't stop staring at him, earning him a warning glare from his mother. A beautiful hazel eyed secretary, she looked in her mid twenties just like Heero, her white skin provoked curiosity and her glossy long red hair gave her a hint of innocence.

She soon found out that Heero wasn't a criminal out to get her son. She talked to him here and there since she was Rina Deverou's secretary; Rina sent him the new project ideas with her. Although Heero, as we know, was never the talkative type, so she didn't indulge herself in a long conversation. She did sneak a peek on him once in a while when he wasn't looking; after all he was easy on the eyes'.

After taking a long shower the Perfect Soldier got dressed. He wore jeans, a white t-shirt that bought out his muscle lines of his broad chest and a pair of construction yellow ankle boots as casual attire. Mai was up and also dressed. She wore one of her many cute sun dresses which her mother made for her. She used to hate wearing dresses, but after her mother passed away she seemed to be wearing them everyday if she could. That day she decided to wear a white sun dress with beautiful lilies imprinted on it and, like always, her favorite white tennis shoes.

As if it were a ritual, she waited for Heero to tie her shoelaces. The violet eyed little girl didn't have to ask, Heero already knew, just one sweet embarrassed look from her is all it took.

"Give me your foot…" Heero ordered as he extended his hand and waited for her to place her foot with the untied shoe there.

Shyly Mai placed her left foot in Heero's strong yet gentle hand. When he finished with tying her first shoe he repeated the process with the remaining one.

He did try to teach Mai how to tie her shoelaces and in fact she had learned, but she still made believed that she couldn't. It wasn't because she was lazy or because she didn't like to, she just enjoyed the attention Heero gave her every time he did tie them and the way that he looked at her after the task was done, she thought that the look was almost the same look her father gave her. That look, that made her feel secure and cared for. It was different from his normal stare and even from his usual glares.

He placed her last foot down lightly, "all done."

She smiled and wiggled her feet, "arigatou, uncle Heero-chan!" She stood up and tugged on his leg lightly," so are we going to see uncle Twowa?" she waited expectantly for his answer.

"Unh," Heero nodded.

"YAY!!" Mai cheered and twirled Honey, the bunny around happily.

Heero grabbed his jean jacket and Mai's white sweater, colony L7-37892 was known for its climate variation, one day it would be sunny and the next day there would be raining nonstop, this made the colony kind of peaceful since not many people were attracted by that. Heero checked the weather report everyday, especially now with Mai around, it wouldn't be a good thing if she got sick.

**-----------------------------**

**At the circus……..**

**-----------------------------**

"There are a lot of people here!" Mai looked around; there was a full house and people swarming around buying tickets or food.

"Hn," Heero could figured that it was the first day that they were here and being that they're acts had caught a lot of attention, a lot of people wanted to see the famous circus.

The ex-gundam pilot paid for both tickets, one half price for Mai and a full price one for him. Even though Trowa's circus had gotten fairly popular the prices remained the same, or at least that's what Heero remembered when Quatre and Duo made him go watch Trowa's act with him.

Once inside Heero and little Mai looked for seats, it was hard to see any empty ones since it was full already.

"Look over there…" Maisha pointed to two seats in the middle, they would be able to see the show well enough.

Maisha's face was lit up in excitement, she loved the circus and most of all she loved her uncle Trowa's act. The ringmaster welcomed everybody and began the introduction for the fun filled afternoon. He announced the animal act first, a tamer came out with two lions, the lions seemed very obedient and followed every instruction the tamer gave them. The audience stared in awe and clapped at the end of every succeeding task the lions made. A clown act followed, Mai giggled at the clowns mischief and Heero appeared to be secretly enjoying it also.

After several acts the ringmaster announced the acrobatic act and surprisingly Trowa came on stage with a tall and skinny girl in a matching outfits. The girl had brown straight hair up in a pony-tail and the outfit was different shades of green and shiny, it tightened around her body defining her every curve. The outfit did the same with Trowa it shaped his muscles very well and he looked amazingly rugged and handsome.

"IT'S UNCLE TWOWA!!!!" Mai stood up on her chair in excitement.

Heero stared at her in pulled her back down, "stay down."

Maisha frowned a little bit at Heero's cold order but then smiled again as she looked to the performer she had longed to see. The former Wing Zero pilot was very attentive to Trowa's every movement, he couldn't quite get to see his facial features well but he could've sworn he saw a curl on his lips. Could it be that he was truly smiling? It didn't seem like one of his sarcastic smiles… it seemed genuine.

Suddenly elephants came out, Trowa and the girl began doing they're acrobatic routine on top of the animals. It was astounding, Heero watched the act and remembered the first time he saw it…

**::::Flashback::::**

"Trowa are you sure you want to do this? It seems dangerous…" Quatre worriedly looked at his best friend ready to mount the big animal.

"Calm down Quatre, he knows what he's doing," Heero reassured his worried comrade, but it wasn't helping.

"But what if you fall?! Or even worst what if you fall and he steps on you?! Oh my goodness…" Quatre said wide eyed feeling even more alarmed from his eerie thoughts and his mind playing the whole scenario. He was starting to fill dizzy and ill.

Trowa placed a hand over his shoulders friend, "Quatre I'll be okay, I've rehearsed it already, besides I promised good entertainment as a wedding gift didn't I?"

"I know… but I didn't expect you to be on top of an elephant doing dangerous acrobatic moves…" Quatre pouted.

Heero and Trowa looked at each other amused by their friend usual worried personality.

"I'll be okay… I won't fall and I won't let the elephant step on me… okay?" Trowa back flipped expertly on to the elephants back and the big animal didn't seem to mind. The elephant marched straight ahead with Trowa.

"So…he's really doing it?" Wufei appeared behind them from out of no where.

Quatre jumped at Wufei's sudden emergence, "where… where did you come from?"

"Somewhere…" Wufei answered mischievously.

"Some where?" Heero asked curiously.

"Yes, somewhere preparing my gift," the Chinese young man stated proudly. Wufei hadn't told a soul on what he was planning on doing. He avoided answering when he was asked. The boys paid no mind to what he was so cautiously trying to hide just as long as it didn't involve katana demonstrations and Duo being the not so helpful assistant.

"Wufei what happened to your hand?!" Quatre said, worry evident in his voice. The Chinese ex-pilot tried to hide his right hand and Heero looked at him with a questioningly look. The blonde boy without any warning took Wufei's hand in smooth and soft motion. Wufei shocked that Quatre had actually done that without him noticing it backed away quickly.

Heero analyzed his quick reaction and noticed that there was something wrong with him.

"I bruised my hand while preparing the gift…" he explained nonchalantly.

"What kind of gift is it? I seriously hope is not something dangerous you're planning on doing," the Winner heir said slightly.

"It's not, stop worrying about it, I'm not going to kill the guests," Wufei responded with an annoyed tone.

Quatre gave a last warning like look at his conspicuous friend and turn to leave.

"Did he just glare at me?" he asked Heero disgruntled.

"Quatre doesn't glare, it's against his nature," Heero retorted, "what **really** happened to your hand?"

"I told you already I was-" he stopped abruptly as he saw Heero give him the don't give me that bullshit' glare, "well Yuy, don't believe me then."

"I don't," Heero stated bluntly. He decided not to push it any further knowing Wufei like he did, it wasn't like he was going to tell them what happened unless it was absolutely necessary or else it would hurt his male ego.

"Aren't you supposed to go make the toast?" Wufei asked with a smirk on his face, knowing that Heero had been working on the toast for over a month and was nervous even though he hid it perfectly.

Heero wide eyed searched for the little paper in which he had written what he was going to say, he dug in his pockets yet he could find nothing, "shit".

"Looks like you're pretty screwed."

Heero glared at Wufei who was grinning at his unfortunate mishap. After a while he gave up and decided to join Wufei and the others at the backyard where Trowa's act and present' was going to be performed. He'd figure out something until it was dinner time where the toasts were going to be done.

"Hey where were you man?" Duo asked in his all American accent. Heero shook his head in response. "I thought you were going to miss out on Trowa's present. By the way do you know what it is?"

Heero shrugged. Music started playing, Duo and Faye were very excited.

"WOAH! Trowa bought me an elephant?!?" Duo cried out.

Faye stared at her husband in a loving and amused manner, "honey, I think he's just going to perform something for us on the elephant," she explained to him sweetly.

"Oh…" Duo said with slight of disappointment in his voice. Heero looked at his friend and smirked at the sight of Duo's pouting and Faye giggled finding it very cute.

"Why would you want an elephant?" Heero asked casually.

"Well… they're funny lookin', plus I would be able to ride him like a horse," Duo said in an as a matter of fact' tone.

"Why not just buy a horse?" the Perfect Soldier asked the braided pilot.

"Because… horses aren't big like elephants… besides I would be able to train the elephant to step on anybody that I say so… like WUFEI!!" Duo retorted and laughed maniacally.

Heero raised his left eyebrow as a response to his friend's dimwitted answer, yet he still found it amusing.

"Sweetie zip it, one of your best friends is about to perform for you…" Faye hushed her husband down.

"Sorry babe…"

Everyone's attention was on the Trowa, he seemed to be concentrating when he finally heard nothing and there was only silence, he snapped his fingers and hip trance like music began playing. The expert acrobat began swiftly and smoothly doing gymnastic moves on top of the large animal, he managed to maintain his balance without hurting the elephant. A few seconds later three more elephants were bought and he was skilfully going on top of ever elephant while doing amazing gymnastic and acrobatic moves. Everyone was blown away by the astonishing act and gave him a standing ovation.

Quatre stopped covering his eyes once he realized everyone was clapping. Duo whistled and Faye was jumping in excitement. Wufei was actually clapping hard and was grinning at his green eyed friend. It was the best show Trowa had done ever and he did it with great joy and pleasure, so much that he actually smiled.

**::::End Flashback::::**

The ringmaster announced the end of the show, people started to motion themselves up. He followed the same pattern, grabbing Maisha in his arms and making way for himself and her in the swarm of people.

Once outside the huge tent Heero looked at Mai and saw a small frown on her face.

"What's wrong?" Heero asked.

Maisha looked at her shoes and back at Heero, "do you think that maybe we can say hi to uncle Trowa?"

He was taken back by her sudden request, he hadn't seen or talked to him in seven years and was avoiding him most of all. He didn't know how Trowa would react on seeing him again. It took longer for him to think about it when he felt a strong grip on his shoulder as if it were a threat his reflexes reacted and turned around ready to give a blow to whomever it was, but the other person had impressive reflexes also enough to avoid the Perfect soldier's move.

"Uncle Trowa!!" Little Mai squealed in happiness and she threw herself around her uncles waist. Trowa without hesitating grabbed Mai and spun her around looking at her very carefully and smiling at her.

"Always on guard, I see that you haven't changed much…" Trowa said to Heero with a hint of coldness in his remark.

Heero narrowed his eyes, _::he's still angry with me::_

"I hope that you learned how to move on… that is the reason why you left wasn't it?" Trowa's way of saying it was more of an affirmation than a question.

He remained motionless and didn't answer Trowa. _:: Move on, how could I move on… has he_ _moved on?::_

Trowa did seem different, Heero thought, even though his appearance remained the same, same styled hair a bang over one eye, a tad bit taller, his emerald eyes seemed a little bit different. He couldn't figure out what it was, they looked expressive; his face wasn't covered with the mask he used to wear back then, the mask that made him seem so emotionless and inhuman. The one he was meant to wear when he was in a battlefield, almost the same one Heero put on until that day.

Mai watched them in confusion, if she had remember correctly on what her father had said, it had been a long time since they had seen each other but neither one of them made a happy gesture. All they did was look and occasionally glare at each other.

"What is wrong with you people?! You haven't seen each other in a very long, long time and neither of you said how happy you were to see each other again… do you hate each other?" Mai looked up at them hopeful to get a reaction.

Trowa stared at her sympathetically and managed to consider the little girl's innocent observation. Heero felt his heart sink, Mai was right; a little girl had just slapped him in the face, figuratively speaking.

"We should talk…" Heero said as he looked straight into Trowa's emerald orbs. Trowa nodded and motioned them to follow him. Mai was happy that they were doing something besides staring at each other.

They went to the back part of the circus where all of the animals were and some trailers for the circus people. It was pretty empty only the animals were in they're cages and few workers were there feeding and bathing some of the animals. Mai decided to go watch the animals while her uncles' talked.

"We can talk here, it's less crowded," Trowa said.

Heero hesitated for a while, not knowing how to start, he was the one to propose to talk with him and now he couldn't say anything. It was so hard to find words that were sincere and at the same time words that wouldn't end up hurting either one of them.

"What did you mean when you said if I had learned to move on'?" Heero asked just to break the silence.

Trowa thought about it for a minute, he knew the answer, that's all he could think of when Heero had left. All the reasons Heero might've had, Trowa thought of them and all the reasons he had not to leave like he did. He stood silent for a while.

_::Heero: He hasn't changed much either::_

But Heero's thoughts were proven wrong when the silent ex-pilot began to answer him.

"You left without saying a word… at first I believed that you left out of guilt, but then I started realizing that maybe it wasn't guilt… maybe you just wanted to move on like the rest of us. Quatre always looked for the best in everyone, he showed me that much… he also showed me that life wasn't meant to be wasted and even though I never appreciated my life and the fact that I didn't understand him back then…" he sighed and took a deep breath, "I've come to understand him now and what he meant."

Heero listened carefully to Trowa's every word; there was no doubt in his mind now that he had in fact changed. He never herd him say more than a phrase or sentence and now to hear him say all that.

Trowa felt Heero's gaze on him, he could imagine what his thoughts were now on him, he felt slightly vulnerable letting the Perfect soldier see the new side of him, but he knew that Quatre would be proud of him.

"Do you still blame yourself?" he asked curiously.

"Do you still blame me?" Heero snapped back.

Trowa was caught of guard by his come back, he raised an eyebrow as if he were impressed. "Do I still blame you…" he repeated it to himself, "you think I blame you?"

Heero narrowed his eyes in a challenging manner and gave a sarcastic snicker, as he touched his left side of his cheekbone near his eye where a diminutive scar was carved but seemed to have faded through time. It didn't show much, but he and Trowa both knew it was there.

"Oh, I see… " Trowa started

"You had a right to do it, I'm glad you did."

"No. It wasn't right, not what I did and not what I said. I was… angry… and … it wasn't -" Heero raised a hand and shook his head to interrupt Trowa.

"You don't have to…" Heero half said but Trowa understood.

The not so silent Trowa was forced to remember what happened that day, the day that he resented so.

**:::Flasback:::**

"Why didn't you go with him?" Trowa Barton almost whispered it, he looked out the big French windows tears threatening to come down his eyes.

Heero who was at the verge of breaking down didn't know how to answer, his arm was pressed to the wall and his face was buried in it. He rushed as soon as he received the awful news from the Oriental ex-pilot, he was the only one that was able to keep his composure to call him.

"I didn't know…" Heero replied with a hoarse voice. _::How could this happen… why?::_

There was silence, Heero was never so disturbed with silence like he was now. It was strange being in Quatre's office and not see him there. To think that they would never be able to see him again, it pained Trowa.

Trowa held back for a while than he felt his hand turn into a fist and pushed it down the window sill, his eyes finally giving in and tears slowly rolled down his beautiful white cheeks.

Heero turned to look at his friend who was looking worse with every minute that passed. Trowa was never the type to let his feelings show, he always knew how to hide them. This was harder on him out of all of them. Duo was alone in his old room given by Quatre when he had offered them to stay; he was there most likely crying. Wufei had disappeared to who knows where, they knew he was grieving also, even though he was a loner he had grown fond of Quatre but he too had different ways of dealing with loss.

They all had lost someone special during the war, all of them except Trowa. Trowa never knew his parents; he hadn't felt attached to anyone before. Whether he never accepted it, Quatre, besides Catherine,a made him feel right at home like family.

_::Trowa: Why did this have to happen? Why him?::_

Trowa's mind was racing, many memories flashing by, when he was with Quatre, when he felt alone and Quatre would be by his side even though he never thanked him for it or asked him to and the times the blond boy asked all of them to do things together to bond' he said. He wanted so badly to make them a family, to help them get a normal life, to give them hope.

_::Trowa: Hope that dies with him::_

After that thought he felt someone beside him and a hand on his shoulder, he knew who it belonged to and frankly it was the last person who he wanted to see. He looked at his persian blue eyes, he saw them teary and full of fear and remorse, but that didn't stop the silent boy from filling himself up with anger, he was never the one to get caught up in anger in fact he was never driven by any emotion. But this time unconsciously he was being played by the worst of any emotion... **pain. **He still felt Heero's hand on his shoulder and without thinking about it he smacked it away.

Heero was dumbfounded by his reaction but remained in the same position he was before.

"This was your fault!!" Trowa snapped.

The Perfect Soldier let his head down, forcing his tears back and as he did so he could feel anger build up also. He was feeding on Trowa's words, it was his fault, it was all he could think of, and his friend just said it, it was his fault.

"How could you ignore him!?" he screamed at first and whispered the last question, "how could…you…."

Heero was about to break, he gritted his teeth, "I didn't ignore him, how could've I known this was going to happen?"

"He told you! He asked you to go with him! YOU!" Trowa pushed Heero from his side making him almost lose his balance.

"So is that it? You're mad because he asked me and not you!" Heero snapped also and smacked a hand on the wall disrupting Trowa's path.

Trowa glared at him, "what?! How… why on earth would I be mad because…"

"You're angry because he asked me to go with him to wherever he was planning on going to…"

"Fuck you HEERO! You selfish, egocentric son of bitch! Yes! He asked you, and I don't hate you because he did ask you to accompany him… I hate you because YOU DIDN'T!!" Trowa's fist smashed the same wall where Heero had his hand but didn't come close to it.

"I couldn't go with him! He knew, I had to go protect-"

"Right… you had to go **protect Relena**, is she always going to be your excuse?" he hissed, "are you ever going to leave her aside for your **friends**, that's if you even consider any of us your friends… I know Quatre considered you his friend! He trusted you… **Perfect Soldier**…" there was tone of mockery in the last expression and a sarcastic huff.

Heero closed his eyes and tried to hold back, he didn't want to make things worst. Trowa ran his hand through his hair, he was losing his edge and Heero noticed.

"What's the matter Yuy? We all know you're not the silent one here…" and again that tone, he was pushing him.

"Shut up Nanashi!"

It had been a long time that he hadn't been called that, Trowa gave him an ironic chuckle, "Nanashi… is funny you should be the one saying that, when your real name isn't Heero Yuy…"

"What are you trying to do Trowa? What the **hell** do you want from me?" Heero asked in his monotone self.

"I want … I want … him to be alive… " he took deep breaths between every word, "you… should've… gone with him… he knew something was going to happen, he felt it, he trusted you and he told you…"

"Damn it you were listening! If you knew… why the fuck didn't you go with him?!" as Heero said that, Trowa's eyes widened in shock, "your so busy blaming me for it, what about you?"

Heero couldn't believe that Trowa had listened to Quatre and him, _::Heero: Why didn't you say something?::_

"What about me? What was I supposed to do… he didn't ask me to go… he asked you…"

"And you're talking to me about excuses… was he supposed to say everything to you just because you didn't feel like talking! Why didn't you offer to go with him?! That's right your pride is always getting the best out of the Nanashi… always hiding behind your frail mask pretending to be a clown, when you don't feel any emotions at all. You never said anything to Quatre, he was the one that followed you around when you needed something. Now you want to pin your damn mistakes on me!?" Heero screamed at him and pushed Trowa to the wall not so harshly.

Trowa let his head down, it was until he felt Heero push him that he couldn't resist, everything Heero said was true but wasn't about to admit it. And like Heero wanted and expected Trowa gritted his teeth and looked at him with hate and despair, from out of nowhere Trowa pulled back his arm and swung a punch into Heero's face. Heero fell back from the hard blow, Trowa dropped down and rested his back on the wall. He felt his anger die down and his guilt rise.

Heero crawled and sat next to Trowa, he covered his own face which stung badly, but he didn't care about that right then. He looked at his friend with his good eye and felt bad for him, everything that had been said was said in anger but never the less most of it was true.

"Do you feel better?" Heero asked. He knew that's what he needed, to get the rage out, for Trowa's sake. But at the same time Heero got of his out too. Trowa nodded with a hint of shame in his motions.

Heero stood by Trowa's side and tired from the fight they began to lean on each others side. Trowa's mask was finally broken even in this awful situation he had learned that he did care, that it was alright to cry and to be angry. But Heero on the other hand was soon to become even more emotionless, he wasn't about to break his mask… _not after this, not now, not ever…_

**:::End Flashback:::**

_to be continued…_

Xx.X.x.X.x.X.xX

Some bits and pieces of the past… more will be revealed in upcoming chapters, this is just a glimpse of the **DRAMA **that is yet to come. I hoped you enjoyed it and that you understood the reasons for the OOC'ness … if not … gomen. Reviews are greatly appreciated!!!

I would like to give special thanks to:

Tina-Chan 0- thank you very much for taking the time to review, especially leaving that cute goofy.

ConquerorAlexander- Thank you! For always reviewing and for reading the fic…and for being my beta AGAIN! Lol TOM!

jdeppgirl4- ARIGATOUUUU!!! I'm sooo glad that you still read my fic and thank you so much for reviewing! And as always I hope that you liked this chapter…XD

Tai-dye- I hope that you continue to read it and about Deux… well let's just say a lot of Drama can be expected from your assumption but I will say no more :x even though I'm dying to lol…please keep on reading I promise that the next chapters will answer your question. THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEW!!

Axcushate- Another faithful reviewer who has never let me down…I hope I don't either… I appreciate your reviews I hope you keep on reading. Arigatou!

Vitanie Tora- Aww…I'm sorry I made you sad. But I'm also glad you were so caught into the fic it made me happy!! Is reviews like yours that cheer me up and make me want to continue to write more…thank you very much! And yes everything will be explained…it's all in the Drama hehe… I hope you continue to read and if you can review too lol!

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU ONCE MORE YOU GUYS ROCK!!

Maisha: Yeah you do! YAY!!

Duo: Keep on reviewing that way maybe she'll get of her lazy behind and write some more…

Hey I'm not lazy!

Heero: Yes you are…

Trowa: They have a point…

Who's side are you on anyway?

Trowa: Mine

-.- lord give me patience…

Ja-Ne


	5. Reunion

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gundam Wing or any of it's hot characters... is a sad reality.

**SWEET LULLABY**

**Chapter 5:** _Reunion_

The smell of freshly baked cookies filled up Catherine's trailer. The maroon haired girl moved about in the cramped kitchen space trying to take the cookies out of the small oven. Even though the trailer wasn't over sized, she had the essential necessities a girl should have, a small kitchen, a very comfortable green couch, a bedroom whose door was closed and a small bathroom, too small for Heero's liking.

Maisha looked around; she had never really been inside of a trailer before. She was very surprised that everything a household should have was gracefully and neatly ordered in little amount of space. Maisha's gaze stood on a table to the right of where she was sitting, a wooden squared table with a reading lamp on top. Beside the lamp were Catherine's shiny knives, the one's she used in her acts. Looking back and forth on Heero and the knives, she made sure Heero's eyes were still closed. She wasn't sure if he was asleep but figured he wouldn't notice her mischief. She stared at Heero for a good whole minute, but he remained motionless, arms crossed and eyes closed. She searched for the brown haired girl, her back was turned and was working on the cookies and this was her opportunity. She slowly began to reach for one the shiny revealing knife; that is until she felt a strong hand got a hold of her ponytail. Maisha froze. She was busted.

"What are you doing?" a monotone voice asked.

Maisha gently turned to look at her uncle, her eyes widened as she realized that his eyes were closed all along. "How did you…" she began, still she couldn't believe how her uncle knew, she was careful, or at least that's what she thought. Heero's skills were beyond impressive and beyond gone. His eyes closed but his awareness of his surroundings were one of his most impressive abilities when he was a soldier.

"Sit and don't move," Heero ordered. He let go of her ponytail but his eyes remained closed.

Maisha, still perplexed on how it all had happened, sat and obeyed her uncle's order. She figured that he was a wizard of some kind and knew what she was thinking. _::I shouldn't think that he's a wizard then…'cause then he'll know that I know that he's a wizard…so stop thinking it then…oh geez. I can't stop thinking::_

Finally the perfect rounded cookies were orderly positioned in a cute patterned plate. Catherine smiled at the small child whose eyes were sparkling at the plate of cookies that were placed in front of her. Soon to forget of what had happened like any child would.

"Coookies!!" Maisha cheered as she grabbed one of the chocolate chip cookies.

Catherine chuckled, "Grab as many as you like, but careful they're still kind of hot." She looked at Heero and smiled at him, "please, have some too."

Heero nodded gratefully and reached for a cookie, the smell of the cookies was sweet and inviting. He stopped midway as he was about to eat the cookie when he saw Trowa come inside Catherine's trailer dressed in normal clothes, a dark turtleneck and jeans. Trowa stared back at the Perfect Soldier and then at the cookie in his hand which he was still holding close to his lips.

"Cookie…" Trowa said as he walked over to the table and grabbed one too. Heero cocked an eyebrow at Trowa and continue to eat his cookie.

While they finished the cookies and talked, Catherine and Mai did most of the talking and afterwards they all stepped out of the trailer to bid their good-byes.

Outside of the trailer, the green eyed pilot hugged Maisha, "take care little Mai".

All of a sudden a motorcycle engine was heard. Heero looked around to see where it was coming from. The roaring noise was coming closer and closer, some of the circus people jolted as they saw a black Harley approach them fast.

The person driving the motorcycle drifted a few feet away from Heero and the others, provoking them to cough when they felt the dust that was lifted up reach their noses. Heero recognized that crazy style of driving, there was no mistaking it. After all these years, this was starting to turn out like an ex-Gundam pilot's reunion, and it was something he wasn't prepared for.

"I told you not to drive your motorcycle in the trailer area…" Trowa complained while he coughed.

The person on the motorcycle removed his helmet to reveal himself, with a sly grin on his face he responded, "And I told you…that you sound like an old woman when you nag at me like that."

Maisha's eyes opened wide when she saw him took his helmet off and realize who it was, "Wuffy!! Wuffy!! Wuffy!!" She lunged at him and he caught her at the exact moment.

He carried her and pulled softly one of her brown locks, "Hey brat what did I tell you about calling me that? …how are you holding up?"

"I'm holding up like a big strong girl and… sorry uncle Wuffers!" Maisha replied and flexed her small left arm.

Wufei rolled his eyes in amusement, "Good… and no Wuffers or Wuffy," he ordered, it wouldn't do much good since Mai rarely listened to Wufei's requests or orders. Then he turned to look at his ex-companions,

"Catherine…Yuy," he began and raised his left eyebrow, "you look…taller."

Heero nodded, "you haven't changed much…" he replied. Wufei cringed at the statement realizing he had not grown much. In fact physically he hadn't changed a lot, his hair was the same length and styled in the same manner that he had when they first met him. The only difference was the way he dressed; he was no longer wearing his oriental garments, instead he was using his Preventers uniform which made him look rugged and handsome.

"Yeah, he's still short isn't he?" a feminine voice was heard but had a hint of taunt ness to her question.

_::That voice::_ Heero thought without searching to who it belonged, he remembered it for some reason.

Wufei put Maisha down and got off his Harley. He glared at the person behind Heero and Trowa. This made his two ex-comrades, and Trowa's sister, turn back slowly to see who his glare was directed to.

"Weren't you supposed to be in Africa woman?" Wufei asked voice tainted with annoyance. He folded his arms and cocked his head lightly to the right. Without any warning and with confused looks from the rest, the girl tossed her arms around Wufei's neck.

"CHINGY I missed you! Did you miss me… I bet you did," she said excitedly.

"You foolish onna what right have you to express yourself in such manner? And I told you not to call me 'Chingy' it's CHANG!"

Wufei nudged her to get her off him, but didn't succeed.

The rest still confused as to why on earth any girl would want to hug Wufei just stood as mere spectators.

"Yeah I was in Africa 'was' being the key word," the girl informed Wufei while she squeezed him tighter.

She smirked when she felt Wufei give up on trying to make her budge, she knew that even though the Chinese ex-pilot denied the fact that he cared for her it always backfired and let his feelings show a bit.

Maisha looked at her questioningly. She tried to remember her, and something told her that the she looked familiar, but different at the same time. It wasn't until she got a glimpse at the girls grey eyes that she finally knew who she was. It had been two years or so since Mai had seen her.

"Auntie Evie?" she asked still unsure of whether it was her.

The grey eyed girl removed her arms from Wufei's neck and moved closer to the small girl. She crouched down to Mai's height and smoothly moved one of her long black bangs just to give her a swift wink.

Maisha lunged at her, "It is you!" She grabbed one of her bangs, "What happened to your hair?" she asked with a hint of sadness and surprise to her tone of voice. She circled her and touched the back of her hair, it was short now, very short and her bangs that reached up to her neck were the only poor evidence of her once long silky black hair.

"Well… I thought I needed a new style," Evie said while she gave a toothy smile, but her eyes told another story as they began to look foggy.

Trowa was the only one who noticed this and looked away in an uncaring manner.

Evie got up as she saw Catherine smile somewhat her way, "Hey, Catherine, right?" she asked, trying to remember if that was her name, since she had only seen Catherine once, and it was in Duo's wedding.

"Yes, it's nice to see you again," Catherine replied sincerely.

Heero noticed her grey eyes look about and suddenly stop at his direction.

"Yuy…" she began, waiting for a response from the Perfect Soldier. But as expected she got nothing more then a nod from him. "Yeah nice to see you too…" she said sarcastically and rolled her eyes. She then turned to the one person she knew her presence wasn't pleasant for him at all.

"Trowa… how you been?"

"I've had worse days," Trowa said sourly.

"Good then," she said in a tone equally compared to Trowa's.

"But then again the day isn't over…"

Evie narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Oh, Trowa, an optimist as always… and to think I was almost losing faith."

Heero bewildered as to why they were acting this way just stood and analyzed the situation. Last thing he knew Trowa did get along just fine with her or in any way he never acted like that before. All of it was just strange and confusing. Heero looked at Wufei who didn't seem surprised by Trowa's attitude nor did Catherine, so they did know something. It was strange for Heero not to know what was going on, but then again he had been missing for a few of years. The only one he remembered seeing once or twice was Evie but she never mentioned having problems with Trowa.

Wufei, shaking his head in a father like manner, warned them, "Now children, play nice and honourably."

The ex-Heavy Arms pilot programmed himself to soldier mode and became expressionless, it was amazing how he switched from an annoyed Trowa to the 'unreadable' Trowa. "What are you doing here?" He asked collectedly.

Evie crossed her arms and answered him casually, "Duo called me and told me he finally found superman over there," she pointed at Heero.

Heero held his composure also, "Why did he call you?" he asked trying to hide his curiosity.

"He thought you might need help with Mai." She shrugged.

"Not one of Duo's brightest ideas," Trowa said still in monotone.

"Aren't we a few clowns short of a circus," she snapped back and glared at Trowa, something that didn't seem to affect him at all. He remained inexpressive as always which made Evie even more annoyed.

"Must you two always fight like insufferable children?!" Wufei growled, he was getting irritated by their meaningless altercation. Not even Wufei knew why it always had to happen every time they met.

"He starts!" Evie defended herself.

"No… I don't," Trowa stated simply.

"Trowa quit fighting with Evie…" Catherine said in a motherly tone.

"Thank you, Catherine!" she then turned to the green eyed man, "At least we know that it was you who was dropped on your head when you were a baby and not your sister." She plopped her arms to the side exasperated.

"Evie…" Wufei warned, "Quiet woman." Evie just pouted and crossed her arms once again.

Heero looked at Maisha who seemed to be giggling at what was going on. It seemed that it wasn't something very serious to her, like when he and Trowa began to talk. But for some reason to Heero this was all new and even with all his training he could not understand this situation. Trowa was being very out of character, he always thought he could relate to him because of his expressionless ways. This new attitude was like seeing Duo monotone for once, Trowa wasn't the type to get caught up in arguments, let alone start them.

The Perfect Soldier finally came to accept that Trowa's mask had been broken for sure, that now it seemed harder for him to hide all of his emotions. Even though he still seemed observant and analytical there was now a hint of humanity in his actions. _:: Who would've thought it would have been him to find his emotions… before me::_

Heck even Wufei acted differently, Heero now felt like he had been thrown into the Twilight Zone. His ex-comrades were nothing like he once knew them. This was way too much even for him to sink in, but still he had to manage to keep his cool.

A sudden movement caught the Perfect Soldiers eyes, it was Mai… doing some kind… of dance. Cute? Or was it weird? Since everybody was focused on the two childish grown ups, Heero decided to reach for the little girl.

"Why are you dancing?"

Maisha kept on moving from side to side, hands almost hugging her stomach.

"I'm… not… dancing," she managed to say, with lack of breath.

"Then what are you doing?" Heero bluntly asked.

"I…can't tell you!" she squealed.

"Why not?" Heero insisted.

"Because…"

"Will you just say it," Heero was getting exasperated, something he was getting used to being around the little girl.

Mai kept on doing her little dance and seemed to be getting pale, "NO!"

"Maisha Maxwell, what's wrong?" he ordered to answer him.

Catherine noticed this and left the group to aid Heero, obviously noticing something out of the ordinary with Mai.

"I HAVE TO PEEE!!" Maisha screamed, this caught the attention of the rest.

Catherine sped up and reached for Mai and led her back to the trailer, "Come on sweetie, I'll take you."

Heero still dumbfounded by what had just happened, looked to where the rest were, who also seemed to be in the same state. Then silence was broken by none other then silent Trowa.

"Some help you are…"

"What?! It's your fault, how was I supposed to notice the kid when you're talking a whole lot of crap," Evie responded offensively.

"Right," Trowa stated in a sly manner.

"Agh! You know what…you love me and I know that this is your way of showing it..." Evie said pointing it out like it was just a simple fact. Trowa as a response managed to raise both eyebrows.

"Both of you quiet…" Heero ordered. The other three didn't even notice when he appeared behind them. Both of them did as told. "Why did Duo ask you to come and help… he said he was going to be back here in a week."

"Well… you see…he told me to tell you that what he had to do was going to take longer then what he expected," she said while rubbing the back of her neck, she knew very well what this was going to cost her.

"What do you mean 'longer then expected'?" Heero glared. Evie jumped a little at Heero's glare and lifted her hands in front of her face in a protective manner.

"Hey, hey that's what he said. He didn't even tell me what he was doing, he just asked me as a favour to come and help you with Mai."

Heero held himself together but inside he wanted to kill someone, more specifically Duo. How can he take longer? How can he leave his kid like this…how could he keep on taking care of her? What on earth was Duo doing anyway that was taking so long?

"Heero are you okay?" Evie waved her hand in front of Heero.

Heero snapped back to reality, he hadn't noticed that he spaced out. He grunted as a response and glared at Evie once more.

"I don't need your help; you get in contact with Duo and tell him to come back now. I'm not going to take care of his child anymore."

Evie narrowed her eyes, "Listen here Yuy, I know your wires get crossed sometimes, but Fey trusted you and both Duo and Mai have been through a lot. Maybe you act like you don't care but deep down inside your frivolous heart I know you do."

Heero looked into her eyes but still no emotion what so ever. Catherine cleared her throat with Mai holding her left hand. Heero looked back at them and began walking their way. He grabbed Mai from Catherine and went back to Evie.

"I expect you to do what I told you to do."

Evie looked back at him and then at Mai. Her expression softened as she saw the child confused as to what was going on. As Heero was about to leave, Evie caught his arm. "Heero, wait. I'll do it, but until then please consider my help and the others too." She slipped a piece of paper in Heero's jacket.

The Perfect Soldier nodded and he looked back at his ex-companions who weren't too far off from where they originally were. Maisha still confused, just waved at them. Wufei decided to get closer.

"You can contact me in this colony's Preventer's HQ, if you need anything," Wufei stated, "even perfect people need help sometimes."

Heero turned back, but nodded at Wufei's offer, and with Mai's hand in his, walked away.

X.x.x.X.x.x.X

**A/N:** I apologize for taking a really long long time, but I had writer's block. The whole story is in my head but sometime I get stuck in certain scenes and I don't have enough inspiration to actually write it the way I want it. It's probably not my best chapter but I'm hoping that the rest will be. Sorry again for letting certain people down and for those who waited for this chapter I am really thankful. I wrote two for the lack of one I guess you deserve that much. I will try to have chapter 7 out soon... I hope you enjoy chapter 5 and 6.


	6. Surprises

**Disclaimer: **After 6 chapters guess what? I still don't own Gundam Wing....

**SWEET LULLABY**

**Chapter 6: Surprises Never Cease to Amaze

* * *

**

Evie took a sip of her orange juice, "this definitely needs tequila," she joked while she placed the half empty glass back down. The air was crisp and even though it was simulated air, it felt just great. It seemed like a perfect day to go out.

"I thought you stopped drinking," Wufei remarked as he took off his sunglasses and sat down across from where Evie was sitting.

She had asked him to meet with her at French like café, they sat in the tables that were placed outside the café.

"I did actually, but you know an artist always needs inspiration."

"That has always been your excuse," he began, "did your so called inspiration help you finish your book at last?"

"Actually I did finish my book, sadly I didn't have enough money to buy me 'that kind' of inspiration, but at least I finished it and now I'm supposed to wait and see if it's going to get published or not," she explained while looking at him directly. She did notice he hadn't changed at all and she was glad of that.

"Well at least you got it done, took you six years didn't it?"

She sighed and nodded, "well not everybody was happy to talk about the tragedies that the war caused in their lives, but the people that did tell me their stories are brave and amazing people, they all gained a special place in my heart."

Wufei gave her a small nod, he admired her just like he admired Sally, she wasn't physically strong nor a soldier like Sally, in fact sometimes the girl was pretty reckless in his perception. But there was something about the way she set out to do the things she wanted to do without the need of anyone's approval and just her motivation of doing things her way, while he on the other hand had always followed orders and still did. First it was his master, then the doctors and now it was Lady Une but that's the way he wanted it, never the less he was envious of Evie's care free independence. Though he shook those thoughts out of his head every time they appeared because it made him feel less honorable to be wanting what he felt was a woman trait 'the incapability of following orders and following childish and capricious ideals'.

"You came back early from Earth..." Wufei began after a while of silence; it wasn't like Evie to stay quiet for long.

"What did you expect, after I got the telegram from you..." she paused and looked at her glass as if she was expecting it to do something, "you know... then Duo, at first I must admit I was glad that I was in earth at that time... I couldn't believe that she was gone and I hated everything and everyone at that time..." She looked at Wufei's eyes once in a while just to see if he had any reaction to what she said. But like the other Gundam Pilot's he knew very well to keep their composure when they wanted.

The ex-pilot decided to change the subject when he noticed the girls' dark expression. "How did Duo find you?"

"He didn't, I returned to the colonies like three weeks ago..."

"Three weeks ago! And you decide to show up just now??" he interrupted with disbelief in his voice.

"Well... I needed time to myself. I felt guilty for not being there for Duo and specially for not saying good-bye to Faye... I felt like a coward..."

She twisted the straw in her glass back and forth, Wufei looked at her carelessly, eyes focused on her meaningless movements. She then realized he was waiting for to finish what she had to say, so she decided to give him a mischievous smile, "you missed me didn't you?"

"Wha-... no of course not, I was glad that you were finally gone. Do you know how much of burden you were when I had to live with you for all those months?"

"Don't be so dramatic, it was only for like... six months"

"Well it felt like a year," he retorted. He then crossed his arms and smirked it was like the old times before she went to Earth, inside he did miss their fights and ranting.

:::Flashback:::

"Evie hang up the damn phone!" Wufei was at his last nerve, he couldn't understand how he got himself into babysitting an adult. He still asked himself why on earth did decide to help her. But it was the fact that she was sleeping outside in a bench nearby his place, the way she looked pale and starved. The only explanation he got was that she was doing it for the right cause. He couldn't leave her like that even if he wanted to.

Evie covered the phone's mouth piece and gave him an annoyed look, "can I please have some privacy?"

But it was times like these he wished he had left her there starving and dying.

"Sure you can have some privacy... WHEN YOU GET YOUR OWN PLACE!"

She rolled around in the bed and decided to hang up. Her face looking amused when Wufei was about to scream bloody murder.

"Seriously Wufei how do you expect me to leave you alone if I don't get financed by the monster people a-k-a government people..." she rolled once more around the bed in the opposite direction she had done before while looking at him rather childishly. Even though most of the time he was yelling and scolding at her, she was happy that he had helped her and that she got to know him a lot better.

"I don't care ... it's all you do now... phone calls here and there," he frowned a bit frustrated that she had seemed to change in matter of days. But, he knew that they weren't going to be together forever, he was going to be sent to some other colony as soon as he had a new mission and she was going to continue her project.

"Yeah well I need their help as much as I hate to say it. Relena would be a nice plus too... but I can't seem to get her at all, she's doing a lot of work in and out the colonies is really hard to keep track on her. And I'm out of money to even fly to another colony…"

Wufei thought about it, the day that they would had to part ways. Besides Sally, she was the second woman he had ever spent any time talking to. He had learned many things about her and had learned to care, this he owed to Sally Poe, a woman who never left his mind and his heart. He wasn't sure where she was now but he knew he had made a mistake when he didn't tell her what he felt for her and just let her go. Even though with Evie it was slightly different he wasn't sure if there were any feelings at all other than friendship. But still it felt strange that after all the time they spent together they had to go separate ways.

He combed his hair with his hand, slightly thoughtful and thinking twice if it was the right thing to do.

"If you find Relena... do you actually think you can convince her to help you?"

"Well I'm sure my father got to her already also... you were a witness I can't even get a job because my father bad mouthed me..." she sat up on her bed and placed her index finger on her chin and gave a small sigh, "but, Relena is not the type to let anyone tell her what to do... or at least that's what I expect... still it never hurts to try..."

Wufei hid a small smile. That's all he needed to know, that she would expire her every possibilities. So at last he knew he wasn't making a mistake with what he was about to offer.

"What if I told you where Relena was or where she's going to be next?"

She cocked an eyebrow and slowly tried to understand what he had just said. "Relena... you are going to tell me where she is?"

"Yes, that's what I said." He rested his back on the door frame with his arms crossed and waiting for her reply expectantly.

But at that exact moment she couldn't help but think that his pose looked like Heero's. She giggled at the thought and slightly shook her head.

Wufei dumbfounded by her giggles, decided to leave his pose and sit down on the bed.

He narrowed his eyes, "what's so funny?"

"Nothing..." she gave him a genuine smile and continued with her new found curiosity, "anyway how do you plan on giving me Relena's location?"

"The Preventer's always have the exact location of the former Queen, in fact they send a special preventer to guard her when it's needed."

Evie stared at him in awe, she had never thought about that, she didn't know much about 'The Preventers' truth be told.

"Wouldn't you get in trouble if you gave out that information?"

He smirked, "that depends... are you going to tell anyone?"

She fiercely shook her head no, "but still I don't want you to get in trouble."

"No one will know, trust me."

She smiled and lunged herself at him, "you're the best Chingy... I love you!"

"Woman, call me that once more and I won't get you anything..." he warned her.

Evie gave him a satisfied grin and hugged him tightly one last time. He didn't force her off him like other times. He figured those would probably be the last one's he would receive in a really long time, since it had even been a long time that he had seen most of his friends, including Heero who had gone missing for a long time.

:::End Flashback:::

"You know...I never did get to thank you for helping me when I had no place to go and no money... actually I never thanked you for saving me two times... thank you Wufei," her voice didn't quiver once, she had spoken with her heart.

This made Wufei uneasy, since he had never seen this side to her, it was always the annoying sarcastic side he had known. It seemed to him she had matured a bit while she was away.

"I didn't have a choice did I?" Wufei asked sarcastically.

Smiling at his comment she then mumbled with words that were barely clear, "_No, you did..."_

As Wufei was about to ask her to repeat herself a waiter showed up to take their orders.

"Would you like anything else Miss?" the waiter asked politely.

"Well, since this fine gentleman is treating me today, I would like your house special and a margarita. Oh, and also I would like a slice of cheescake."

The waiter wrote down her order and Wufei just looked at her not surprised that she would take advantage of the gathering.

The waiter turned to Wufei, "and for you sir?"

"Just a club soda for me and scratch the margarita... she will not be drinking, bring her a milk shake."

The waiter didn't hesitate and did as Wufei asked. He smiled apologetically at Evie for having to scratch off her margarita.

Evie glared at Wufei, "I swear, you're worst than parents, I'm old enough to drink you know?... I'm older than you!"

"Then act like it." The ex-pilot just folded his arms and ignored her childish whining.

x.X.x

Heero looked at his watch it was almost time for him to leave to his work. He had wanted to take the day off but ended up with an urgent call from Rina about a last minute meeting with other CEO's and obviously she couldn't handle it herself. He looked again at his watch and then decided it was time to look for his time consuming torment. When he did find her it wasn't exactly what he wanted to see.

"Why aren't you dressed?" he asked the little time consuming culprit.

"Because, I don't want to go! I want to see uncle Trowa and Evie and uncle Wufei." The small girl pouted.

She had been like this since last night that they came from the circus. Heero realized he had made a mistake by taking her there. He was getting annoyed and exasperated.

"Look I don't have time for this, you will get ready and we will go in five minutes," he explained the scenario in a calmly yet warn full manner.

Mai looked at him and got up from her bed. She motioned her foot up and stomped it as hard as she could, "No!" she said while she crossed her arms.

Heero couldn't believe this was happening, the kid was actually having a fit. In the back of Heero's mind all he wanted to do was leave her there, but he knew that it was the wrong thing to do. And besides he wasn't about to let Duo's clone get away with what she wanted like he did with Duo. So he did what he thought he'd never do, stoop down to a child level...

"Fine don't get dressed... and don't go. But if you don't do what I say, you will never play with Deux ever again and I mean that," he warned and crossed his arms waiting for her reaction.

Maisha's eyes widened in surprise, she couldn't stand the thought of not playing with Deux ever again. The reaction was exactly what Heero expected; she turned to grab her pink suit case and looked for something to wear. Satisfied with his 'negotiation', he left the room to give her some privacy to change.

x.X.x

Even though Mai pouted all the way to the company, her pout turned into a big smile as soon as she saw Deux.

"Hey Mai!" the cheerful expression of the eight year old boy made her lightly blush all the time. That was because she never saw him give that happy expression to anybody else but her. This made her feel really special and overjoyed. But that wasn't going to be the case at that precise moment...

"Deux!!!" screamed out a child his age running out of the open elevator doors.

Maisha turned around as soon as she saw Deux give the exact same expression he gave her, the one that made her feel special and his only friend. She suddenly felt strangely confused, everyone there talked about how Deux didn't have any friends at all, that Mai was the first real friend that was girl that he made. But there she was looking at what seemed a pretty girl running towards them. Honey colored eyes perfectly shaped, brown shoulder length hair put into a pony tail, two long bangs on the sides of her face. Her color hair matched perfectly with her eyes, or at least that's what Mai thought. _/*Mai: She's so pretty...*/ _

"Akira!! When did you come back?" Deux seemed very happy to see Akira.

"My dad came to finish something so I asked him if I could come... I really wanted to see you again so that we could play like we used to," Akira stated. "Oh, you so have to come and see what I brought... so that we could both play!!"

"Hold on Akira... I want you to meet-" But, before Deux had any chance to continue Akira pulled him and ran off to the elevator.

Mai stood there trying to figure out what had just happened. She was glad at first when she thought Deux was going to present her. But her heart sank as soon as she saw them run away together. And to make things worst Brenda and her little group saw the whole thing.

"Well, well who knew Akira would be back to take Deux away from you... nice timing don't you think?" Brenda taunted her while the two girls encircled her.

"Yeah, did you actually think you were his only friend?" Jera encouraged.

"Guys leave her alone," Krissy pleaded, she looked at Mai and could tell that she was somehow heartbroken.

Mai slowly let down her bunny, the one Deux had said was pretty, the one they used to play together with. He was the first boy to actually accept her for who she was and the first real friend she had ever had. _/*And he lied... he lied to me*/._ Her eyes began to turn foggy, she could feel what was going to happen, but instead she fought back her tears. She wasn't going to cry, not this time. She glared at Brenda and it was good glare because it made the three of them move back three steps. She grabbed Honey and left to a corner table to draw.

"That... was scary," Jera murmured while she held on to Brenda tightly by the arm.

"Oh please. Don't be such a wuss!" Brenda replied.

"Then you should stop being one too... and you should start by letting go of my arm," Krissy instructed her after feeling a very tight grip on her arm. She shook Brenda's hand off and walked away from them.

Brenda gave her an annoyed look, her mind just realizing how incoherent it was to be afraid of someone younger than her. But she was glad that no one had seen.

x.X.x

The hazled eyed secretary approached Heero nervously. Since she could tell that he wasn't having his best day, she stood behind him and knocked on the wooden desk next to her to catch his attention. Being that this motion failed she decided to speak.

"Umm... excuse me, ... sir?" But her words were merely mumbled and weren't enough to take the Perfect Soldier out of his trance.

He moved about his office scribbling on his notepad, caught up in thought and not noticing the girls presence. Walking back and forth and right and left he made one wrong move where neither one of them was paying to much attention. Without any warning he turned around to face his unnoticed guest and accidently bumped really hard into Ciara, Rina's faithful secretary/assistant.

Ciara was thrown back by a small yet strong impact and with her all the important papers scattered around the floor. Heero however managed to keep his balance; he looked around to find what he had bumped into, a glance down before him is all it took to see Ciara on the floor who was still recovering from the fall.

She suddenly felt Heero's gaze and after wincing from the hint of pain on her behind she saw all the important documents resting not so gracefully on the floor like a small carpet. Kneeling down she diligently and in a panic frenzy began to recover the papers one by one, the ones that were near her were rescued first. Heero placed one knee down and decided to help by recovering the papers that were close to him.

They were both too caught up looking for the papers around them that had ignored the innocent yellow lonely piece of paper lying in between them. It didn't take long for them to notice that it had been laying there but they did not notice that both of them were thinking of retrieving it. That small hasty action caused them to extend their whole bodies and hands at the same time to rescue the poor lonesome paper. The warm contact of their hands was the first thing to cause them to be aware that they were too close to eachother, this made them also look up at the same time into the depths of each other's eyes. Indeed their faces were only a few inches apart.

Ciara felt that her body temperature began to rise, starting out with her face which was burning red. Heero didn't have time to make out anything except that he too felt a small burning sensation on his cheeks, not giving it any more thought he backed away quickly leaving the girl baffled and blushing deeply. He offered her his hand in return for his sudden move. She reached out for his hand nervously and embarrassed.

As he was helping her up a platinum blonde haired spectator was watching them from outside his office, her heels weren't the ones to catch their attention though. She walked inside the office and placed her left hand on her thin waist as she began to reprehend her assistant, "honestly Ciara, I send you to do a simple task and you create a disaster!"

Ciara shamefully let down her gaze. "I'm... sorry."

She desperately tried fixing her red long hair with one hand and held the papers with another one almost making her drop them again. Heero's reflexes were good enough to prevent that from happening, he grabbed the papers that wanted to escape the folder. Ciara looked at him and thanked him with her eyes.

Rina got very impatient and annoyed. She rolled her blue eyes and began tapping her expensive high heel shoes on the wooden floor.

Before Rina would even get a chance to yell at her clumsy assistant Heero decided it was best to explain what had happened or to lighten the blame on Ciara a bit. "It was my fault Deverou, I wasn't paying attention and I made her fall." He hated the way Rina talked to Ciara, in fact he hated the way she talked to everybody, like she was better and above them.

"Fine, if you say so Yuy. Pay more attention next time or you can actually cause me to fire an innocent person. And I told you to call me Rina," she said defiantly as she walked out the office, she then stopped at the door and turned around gracefully just to offer a small flirty kind of glare.

Heero decided to ignore her completely and turned to Ciara. "I'm sorry Ms. Jacob for getting you in trouble."

"Oh, no, no, it was definitely my fault. Thank you actually… for telling her it wasn't my fault," she stuttered a bit, it was the longest conversation she had ever had with him, if you can actually call that a conversation.

Heero nodded he wasn't good at starting a -it was my fault, your fault- ordeal. So he thought it best to leave it at that, if she wanted to think it was her fault then let it be so. He stood there expectantly, waiting for her to do something, Ciara also stood there still nervous by his presence and her memory repeating the closeness of their faces. This made her blush again unexpectedly.

"Did you need anything?" Heero finally asked.

This broke her off her trance. "Uh...I... well..." searching all around her for a clue that would tell her what exactly she had gone to Heero's office for, she finally looked down towards her arms. And there they were, the reasons for her being in Heero's presence, they were the important documents she had to deliver him. Happy that she had found the reason she replied with certainty, "yes, actually I was supposed to hand you these documents," she gave him a small reference as she handed him the documents, "the yellow ones are for you to sign and the rest are for the meeting."

"Thank you for the meeting papers, Rina didn't even preview me on what the meeting was going to be about. It's a great help," he thanked her while looking through the meeting papers.

"I imagined she hadn't done so, that's why I thought it was best if I bought you a copy of what she had on her desk, I assume she hasn't read them either," she informed him with a frown. It disappointed her that Rina didn't care much about her job as a president in the company it seemed that she did everything without thinking and then Heero had to be the one to clean up her mess just so she could get the credit. But even so the small thank you made Ciara's heart jump and the rosy color on her cheeks that had once disappeared suddenly returned.

"You shouldn't endanger your job, at least not for my sake." Heero's tone was now monotone and cold. He continued to flip through the files and didn't look at her once.

Ciara knew that if Rina found out all she would do is yell at her. Rina needed Ciara too much, because she was the only one willing to put up with her selfish personality and not to mention her way of demanding things. She was the first secretary/assistant not to quit in the first week. So for Rina to find out she had been copying meeting files for Heero would be the least of her worries. But even though Heero's last comment seemed cold it made her happy to think that maybe inside he would worry about her like that. _Would he really care if I get fired? What if something bad happened to me would he care?_ Those questions flooded her mind, even thought she thought the last one was too soon to even be thinking about it. Never the less it was nice to imagine that after a long time she could be able to care about someone other than Deux and herself again, mind that her son would always be the most important person in the world for her.

x.X.x

Wufei and Evie looked up at the sky which seemed to turn different shades of gray, sign that it might rain, usually small rain drops showered the beautiful colony just to give it that melancholic glace.

"Even though I love the spontaneous weather, I hate this colony," Evie declared as she kept on looking at the sky as if it were to answer her back. She then turned to the waiter who placed the slice of cheese cake she had ordered.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Wufei asked Evie who was happily munching away her sweet desert.

She looked up for a moment and muffled a yes and some other words that he couldn't make out with the cheese cake in her way.

"And you were bought up in a wealthy family... could've fooled me..." he commented sarcastically.

Evie rolled her eyes and swallowed a big part of the desert she had early shoved in her mouth. She cleaned her lips gracefully with a napkin and imitating a princess like manner she answered, "well my dear Wufei, pardon my lack of manners," to which didn't last long because she soon added her true self, "but I couldn't give a crap about being a lady."

Wufei who was about to take a sip out of his club soda stopped midway as he heard her lady like imitation and gave her a surprised look. But as soon as he heard her last sentence he disappointedly continued to take a big gulp of his drink.

"So where are you staying at?" he curiously asked, wondering if she had any money at all to be staying at an inn or something of that sort. But then he remembered an important fact, "your family lives in this colony. You're staying with them?"

"Of course not, that's actually the reason of why I hate this colony." As soon as she remembered her family she stabbed the cheese cake with the fork and swooped another big piece of to her mouth.

The ex-pilot couldn't help but chuckle and remember that he had once met her parents and he had to hand it to her, they weren't pleasant at all. He figured the question was pretty much irrelevant once he really thought about it, so he was still left with the interrogative. "So where exactly are you staying then? Wait... don't tell me that you want to stay with me again?" he looked at her waiting for her innocent 'abandoned puppy eyes'. But to his surprise she had a different answer.

She shook her head calmly, "it's a different victim this time don't you worry... Heero Yuy."

Wufei couldn't help but laugh at her statement, thinking it was a joke, a really bad one at that. He thought it was easier for him or even Trowa to actually take her in then for Heero to offer her a place to stay.

"What makes you think he's going to let you stay at his place. He said he didn't want your help or even my help for that matter..." he continued to laugh in between words.

"Because, he will obviously need our help soon."

Wufei cocked an eyebrow while he manage to catch his breath, "oh really?"

"Oh come on. You actually think Heero's going to be able to handle a child after two weeks, I'm amazed he's lasted all this time. The only reason Mai's been behaving is because she thought that Duo was only going to be away a week, when she finds out that her father isn't going to be here any time soon she's going to start getting desperate," she explained imagining the whole scenario in her head, "and then she's going to start giving Heero more problems than he can handle. Children can only last so long without their parents, without throwing fits and that's exactly when..." she crossed her fingers and placed her chin on her hands, "Heero's going to need help."

He took a last sip of his drink, he then smirked at her. "Interesting theory, although you should know, for Heero this is just some kind of mission and he doesn't tend to fail on his missions."

"You Gundam Pilots... well Ex-Gundam Pilots, think you can do everything. But there's things in real life that will beat you sometimes and let's face it you guys weren't trained to be nanny's, now where you?"

Wufei placed his hands on the back of his head and thought about what she had just said. It was true; he couldn't even handle Mai that one day he was supposed to take care of her, how did Heero handle her for all this time?

"So when do you think he'll be calling you _desperately_ for an S.O.S... in a month?"

She gave him an ear to ear grin, "bet you dinner at a five star restaurant that he calls in a week."

"Word to the wise, don't bet when you know you can lose..." Wufei grinned back sure that he wasn't going to lose. If he knew Heero, he was sure that he wasn't going to ask for any help unless he was truly desperate and he never got desperate not even in a deadly situation.

"A word to the wise isn't necessary, it's the stupid ones who need advice," she shot back.

"The bet is on. But if you think that Heero will call in a week, here comes the question that I've been asking you all along. Where the hell are you going to be staying?"

She then pulled out her best weapon, the dreaded 'abandoned puppy eyes'. Wufei inhaled deeply and finally regretted asking her. "Fine, I get it... great a whole month with you , that's if _'he'_ calls."

"It's just week munchkin," she assured him with a wink. "By the way, how did you manage to let you work in this colony?"

Wufei glared at her as soon as she called him munchkin he hated that nick name more than Wuffy, Chingy or even Wuffers, the cause was that he was still angry that he had not grown, even Evie had gotten taller than him and that was just unacceptable.

"That's none of your business you should just thank me for coming... and don't you EVER call me munchkin again!"

"He's your friend too you know... and munchkin is a very cute nick name I don't know why you complain so much."

"Hmph, a friend who left without saying anything isn't really a friend. I thought he was dead... and it is not a cute nick name." Wufei furrowed his brow and turned to look at his watch.

"You didn't think he was dead, you liar, inside you understood him," she stated confidently, because even though he tended to be a loner and to shut his feelings to the world. He was a bit predictable.

The lonely Dragon acted like he ignored her comment and got up without looking at her. "Let's go... it's getting late."

Evie didn't argue, she followed Wufei and waited for him to pay the bill. They walked silently all the way to their destination.

x.X.x

The meeting didn't go as planned for Heero, in fact it was horrible. Rina hadn't done the research on the other companies well and were asking for three times more on their product than company competitors. Heero unaware of the numbers and statistics since it wasn't supposed to be his area of work; he was unable to convince them that their software was the best on the market not to mention that he said it was the cheapest when it wasn't true.

Oblivious as always that it was her mistake; Rina scolded Heero as if he were a child who had done something horribly wrong. Heero took a deep breath, closed his eyes and slammed his fist lightly at Rina's desk. He wasn't one to lose his temper easily, but recently his patience was reaching a boiling point.

Rina stepped back and placed her right hand on her chest in reflex. After realizing that the fist wasn't on her face but on her desk, her adrenaline began to rise and her face became red. She glared at the man in front of her but before she could yell at him or say anything, he brushed by her and slammed the door on his way out.

x.X.x

The elevator door opened, Kendra the 'Gawking lady' as Mai called her, jumped fearfully at the sight of the Perfect Soldier. It seemed that a hostile aura surrounded him, his eyes were colder than usual and his face seemed to show no expression at all making him seem inhuman. Kendra still thrown aback by the soldier like Heero made an effort to greet him but no sound came out of her.

Heero maintaining his visual on what he had gone to do finally locked his target. The small girl was sitting alone and to his surprise the closer he got the more he could feel a really cold and hostile vibe from her. The kids around them could feel the cold atmosphere surrounding them both and decided to watch from afar.

"Let's go," Heero ordered in his monotonous tone.

Maisha turned to look at her uncle but said nothing, she turned back to her drawing, where she had drawn what seemed three people, one of them which seemed a lot like her, she seemed to be laughing maniacally and the two other thrown down on the floor crying which seemed a lot like Akira and Deux. She looked at her drawing contently and decided to tear it. Brenda at looking at what she had done gulped, she had never seen Mai like this, not that angry at least. Heero ignored the little girl's action and continued to walk to the elevator with Mai behind him.

Deux who soon came out of the elevator door beamed a big smile as he saw Mai, Akira on the other hand glared at her.

"Mai, you're leaving already?" Deux frowned when he saw her get in the elevator with her uncle and didn't respond. To his surprise the little girl turned her gaze to the floor and grabbed onto Heero's leg. The blonde boy was dumbfounded by this, he couldn't figure out if she was angry at him or sad. He began to think that maybe something had happened when he wandered off with Akira, that maybe Brenda had done something to make her upset again.

The elevator doors closed and he never heard a response from his dear friend Mai. He then turned around just to see that everyone was looking at him now. There was one person that stood out, Brenda. He walked up to her and faced her only a few inches away.

"What did you do to her?!" Deux asked in a demand, his blue eyes turning darker with anger by the minute. He couldn't stand to think that he wasn't there to protect her when she had probably been attacked by the snobby girls.

"Me?!" Brenda cried out dramatically. "You got it so wrong little boy, don't come to me acting like I've done something to that small brat!"

"Don't call me little boy, we're the same age. You must have done something to her, she was sad-"

Brenda snorted and crossed her thin arms while she struck a pose, "she wasn't sad you dimwit, she was angry and to clear things up she wasn't angry at me."

"You always do or say things to make her angry!"

"I do not. This time it was somebody else..." She cocked an eyebrow and grinned at him maliciously.

Deux didn't know what she was talking about, he was getting confused. "Then who did it?!" he was getting more and more frustrated.

"You know what the difference between genius and stupidity is?" she asked in a humored manner knowing that he was known as the genius boy, she knew he would understand her, "the difference is that genius has its limits and it has now been proven." She swayed her hair and turned to leave with some of the girls following her.

Akira blinked twice trying to understand what she had just said and looked back at Deux who seemed to be clenching his fists.

"Are you okay Deux?"

"Yeah Akira, I'm fine."

"Why do you care so much about that girl? It's not like you," Akira complied.

"Because she's different, she's sweet and not like the others-"

Akira turned around and glared at the thought of losing Deux.

"My father is here to pick me up maybe I'll see you tomorrow."Akira waved good-bye.

Deux waved back and managed to plaster a forceful smile.

x.X.x

"Are you hungry?" Heero asked as soon as they stepped inside the apartment.

"No, I'm not hungry..." she sighed.

Heero had a slight suspicion that something wasn't right. Mai had been silent all the way home, which was nothing like her, she usually had something to say about her day or she would be asking pesky questions about Heero's private life. The awkward silence was definitely unlike her.

"I can make you Mac & Cheese," the Perfect Soldier offered politely.

Mai held on tighter to her pink bunny and made her way to the couch. "I'm not hungry," she yelled from the couch.

Heero sat down next to where she was laying face down, he wasn't sure of what the problem might've been, but he was certain that something was up. "What's wrong?"

Mai placed the bunny on her face and muffled, "nothing's wrong."

"Something must be wrong if you're rejecting Mac & Cheese..." He waited for her response but only to receive silence.

He remembered that Mai had been acting like that since the morning, he thought that if she got together with Deux she would be happy again. But he was too busy cursing out in his mind of the crappy reunion to notice that Mai didn't even say good-bye to the blond boy.

She suddenly sat up and her eyes had watered up, "I want my daddy... where's my daddy!?!" Tears began to pour down her violet eyes.

Heero was thrown aback by her tears and by her request. Not once had she asked about Duo, not once had Heero worried about Mai asking about it either. It was usually him who would ask himself where that braided idiot was and when was he thinking of coming back.

"He said he would be here soon..." he tried to comfort her with his words, but inside he knew it was a lie, after what Evie had said.

"He's lying! He said he would be here in a week and it's been longer! He LIED!" she began to scream her lungs out, "I hate boys! You all lie! You lied too! My daddy lied! Deux lied! All the boys lie!"

Heero Yuy was now officially confused, he had no idea of what Mai was talking about or the reason she was so angry. He could get that she would be mad that Duo wasn't there to get her yet but him and Deux, how did they fit in everything? He didn't know how to react; he was baffled and new to this whole situation.

All through the night Mai continued her wailing and whining. Refusing Heero's every request and orders. He was reaching _again_ boiling point of his patience. His hair seemed to be more messy then usual from all the nerves that seemed to be dispersing through his body.

"Maisha, is really getting late and you have to go to sleep..." he said it with lack of patience in his voice.

Mai couldn't care any less; she stood up to him and angrily shouted, "No! I won't go to sleep!"

Finally his patience reached zero and he too screamed at her, "Fine! What do you want then?!"

Mai began to cry even more and that's when he realized that it was the first time he had screamed at her and the first time he had lost his patience. His guilt started to move in.

He closed his eyes for a few seconds and calmly began to talk to her again. "Look, I'm sorry okay... what's wrong? What can I do?"

The small girl rubbed her eyes that were red and puffy from all the crying, she slowly began to catch normal breaths and tried to talk in between hic-ups, "I want auntie Evie...I... I... want to live with ... her... she said... I ... could..."

That was a request he didn't expect after he thought he made himself clear the day before. _Again_ he regretted going to the circus. He tried to explain himself again as calm as he could.

"Your father left your care to me, not her; I can't let you go with her."

"Yes you can... you don't want me anyways..." She let out another cry of sorrow.

Heero knew he was getting nowhere. He sighed and analyzed the situation. It was most probable that she was feeling homesick or something had happened while she was at the day care. Whatever the reason was it was obvious that she didn't trust him enough to tell him. He could tell that if he didn't compromise with her this time he would not win at all. But using Deux this time was obviously out of the question. It came to his mind that the little girl might even go on a hunger strike if she didn't get what she wanted and what about all the crying, wouldn't she get sick from it? All these thoughts bombarded Heero's over frustrated mind. He had to do something and what he thought about doing he knew that he would probably regret it someday, but it seemed that he had no choice.

x.X.x

"What the hell is that!?!" Wufei unconsciously yelled at the sight of the defenseless animal parading around his apartment.

"Her name is Lolita and she's mine."

Wufei grabbed his katana and began chasing the poor animal for his life.

"Wufei leave her alone!!"

"What the hell!? How dare you bring this _thing_ to my sacred space!? Are you insane!"

"You are so dramatic!!" Evie cried out while she hugged a scared Lolita. "You scared her, you are so insensitive."

"I don't give a damn, get the thing..." he made emphasis on 'thing' while he pointed a finger at her, "just get it out of here."

"Oh come on! She's potty trained... I swear..." she pleaded.

Wufei didn't get a chance to reply since Evie's phone rang at that time. The girl reached for her back pocket and for the cell-phone.

"Hello?" She waited for a response, as soon as she heard the voice on the other end a big sly grin emerged on her lips.

Wufei knew it had to be good news for her, for even her grey eyes seemed to sparkle. After hanging up Chibi-kun raised an eyebrow in question.

"Guess who won the bet?" she asked with a cocky tone and striking a winning model like pose.

He placed a hand on his forhead, this wasn't supposed to happen, how did he give in so fast? Still there was one thing that made him grin and that was the fact that Evie would be leaving soon...

"Well he's going to be in for a big surprise," he said while eying Lolita and smirking at the thought of Heero meeting the animal for the first time.

_to be continued…_

X.x.X.x.X

Well I hope you enjoyed both chapters and I hope I'm forgiven for taking so long, but like I said before Writer's Block is a bitch. Thanks to those who are still reading I really appreciate it, even if just one person likes it as long as they keep on reading it I will keep on writing! I love you all!

Oh one more thing... Please Review! Make me happy people XD

Special thanks to....

As always **ConquerorAlexander** for being a great beta, as always I trust your skills because let's face it, you're an amazing writer! Thanks again for taking your time to actually make this fic readable. TOM!

**Knyghtshade **I'm glad you like it, I really hope you enjoyed these two chapters.

**Vitanie Tora **Thank you once again! Like I've said before your reviews mean a lot to me, you have been a faithful reader and reviewer and I really appreciate it and you now what they say better late then never.

**BlueFox of the Moon**Aww thank you very much for your lovely review. It gives me inspiration to write more even though my Writer's block gets in the way sometimes! But your reviews cheer me on!

**Satta Kurosama**I love your reviews as much as I love your fics! And yes I wonder who would want to hurt innocent Quatre... no.. wait I do know HAHAHAHA sorry the evil in me comes out sometimes lol. But you will know soon too.

**Seer Vixion **I'm sorry I haven't given much information on Duo even to this chapter but I needed to introduce some characters that will have a lot to do in the story before I start digging in their pasts. Thank you very much for the review!!!

**Tai-dye **Awww thank you soo much, I'm glad it got the reaction I wanted chapter 4 to get! I'm really happy even though it was a sad chapter...Thanks again for the review...


	7. Nice to see you?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gundam Wing, nada except for my characters ne?

**SWEET LULLABY**

**CHAPTER 7:** _Nice to see you?_

"Are we going to kill him now?" one of the masked men asked.

"Patience brother, patience... we will dispose of him soon..." the other masked man replied. He was a bit taller than the one who asked the question. Inside his mask he smirked, everything was going according to his plan. "We need the rest of the information before we decide to get rid of him... otherwise there was no point to doing this," he finished explaining.

The braided ex-pilot was covered with a mouthpiece even though he cursed and screamed to be set free only muffled sounds could be heard from him; his hands tied and eyes full of anger and confusion.

Both men looked at each other and began to laugh at the poor man's misery. Duo had checked the room as much as he could but they had done an impeccable job at cleaning the place out only few objects that were of no use were lying around far from his reach. There was nothing that he could use to cut the ropes, it seemed ironic that he had escaped from worst places and now he seemed to have trouble cutting the ropes that were preventing his freedom. The room was dim and barely let the light in, therefore another inconvenience. He had no idea where the exact location was, when he had woken up he was already there and the men were smart enough not to talk about the location or even give hints of where they were. Deductions told him he wasn't on a ship because there were no quavering movements whatsoever; although he couldn't possibly say he was on earth or on a colony.

Duo fidgeted once in a while, trying to show them that he wasn't afraid of them. But both masked man were confident that he wasn't going to go anywhere all he was doing was tiring himself. His fidgeting stopped and his eyes opened wide as he heard their conversation. He wasn't scared before but soon he knew there was something to fear.

"So what do you want me to do?" the shorter man acknowledge while his light brown eyes expressed hatred for Duo.

"You're going to get his little brat...the most important person to him..." the other man cackled and laughed maniacally. He looked at Duo yet the shorter man looked skeptical for a moment.

"The little girl?" his tone reflected a hint of surprise.

"Yes the little girl... what did you think we were just going to get him and be done with everything? It wouldn't be enough, brother."

The light brown eyed man nodded in consent, "as you wish."

Duo couldn't believe what he was hearing, wasn't his life enough, he thought it might have have been a kidnap and they would ask for ransom. He thought that there might've been a possibility that they found out he was an ex-gundam pilot, it had happened before that they were targets for some crazy people who hated them or who thought they might've gotten some compensation from some organizations. But what did Maisha have to do with it? Why did they want his innocent little girl for? He started to lose it; even though he was laying down he began bumping his body on the wall going ballistic and ended up hurting his right arm and leg pretty bad.

"Get the drugs," the taller man ordered.

His brother did as he was told and grabbed the drugs, another big inconvenience for Duo. The drugs lasted for a long time and when they began to wear off his mind would be hazy and harder for him to see things. The short man fought Duo for a while until he finally stabbed the needle onto his damaged right thigh. Slowly Duo stopped fighting, his violet eyes began to close and last thing on his mind was a prayer for his precious little Mai in hopes that God would hear him and keep her safe.

X.xx.X.xx.X.xx.X

Maisha's eyes twinkled of happiness as soon as she saw Evie and not to mention her little friend. Evie entered the big apartment with luggage on one hand and Lolita on the other. Standing in the middle of the living room she began to circle around and look about. Her mouth making awe, she stared at the second floor that seemed to have a very retro like balcony in front and what she assumed to be rooms further in.

"Amazing, they did make these apartment as big as they said they would..." She gently let down Lolita, to which Mai wasted no time to chase her around.

"It is very big... you should see the rooms, they're big too!" Mai added in excitement.

"Maisha you didn't open the door did you?" Heero asked from the second floor unaware that his _help_ was already there.

"It's aunt Evie!" she screamed in response while finally catching Lolita.

"I told you not to open the door by yourself..." Heero stopped midway on the flight of stairs and his face was in utter (dismay) but it wasn't her luggage that caused him to take out his gun and give a soldier like stance.

"Don't point your gun like that! Guns are dangerous!!" Evie shrieked as she ran to Mai's side where he was pointing his gun at.

"Maisha, put that thing down now," Heero ordered.

Mai did as she was told calmly and not surprised at all by seeing the Perfect Soldier take out his gun and pointing it at her direction. Evie on the other hand was terrified and picked up Lolita in her arms as to protect her.

"What is it with you people?! Why do all of you want to kill my poor innocent Lolita?"

"_It_ has a name?" he encouraged.

"She is not an _it_, her name is Lolita and she's a Southern American pig..." she argued, "You know the kind that goes oink, she's the real thing not a clone. I got her when I was in earth, she was going to be my dinner but as soon as I saw her I couldn't let them kill her, she's was too adorable," Evie tickled the pigs tummy in a baby like manner, "and here you are trying to kill her, you cruel savage!"

Heero cocked an eyebrow and tucked his gun under his shirt.

"Guns are very dangerous you know? Guns kill people..." Evie commented innocently.

He rolled his cobalt blue eyes in annoyance and decided to humor her, "guns don't kill people, people kill people."

"Uncle Heero... do you kill people and animals too?" Maisha questioned with expectant and disappointed eyes. Her hands placed up to her chin as if it were a prayer she was saying.

Heero faced the small girl and was speechless at the question; he had forgotten that Mai was busy listening to their small argument. Evie flipped her black bangs away from her eyes and giggled at the sight of Heero's confusion and lack of answer. Maisha soon followed with her own giggles and ran to hug her uncle; she felt inside that he could never possibly hurt anyone.

The small girl motioned him to lower himself to her level, when he did the girl whispered in his left ear happily, "arigatou uncle Heero for bringing Evie."

That for him was worth more than anything, the fact that she wasn't crying made it all better. Maybe he wasn't going to regret her help after all. But, then again...

"Get rid of that _thing_ if you're going to stay," he ordered.

"You're so heartless. If Lolita goes then I go..." She raised both eyebrows and placed her hands on her hip.

Maisha looked at them back and forth, her eyes began to turn crystallize, "no Evie don't go!!"

Heero upon seeing the little girls eyes and hearing her cry, closed his eyes and accepted defeat; _once again_.

"Fine. Hn. But make sure she is never in my way or I will kill her," he warned coldly.

Evie stuck out her tongue in defense and held Lolita tightly before letting her go. It seemed his words became ignored because the small animal soon rushed to Heero's side and began rubbing herself on his leg in a cat like manner.

The grey eyed girl rushed to grab her away from her infuriated hunter, "sorry she has a cat complex... she thinks she's a cat. But the good thing is she's potty trained like a cat..." she gave him a toothy innocent smile. Heero decided not to make things worse and turned to leave before he would start to lose his mind.

X.xx.X.xx.X.xx.X

Wufei stared outside the large window of his small apartment, smirking at the thought of Heero finally meeting the infamous Lolita and imagining his reaction. But it didn't take long that his smirk turned to straight serious face. What would happen if Heero decided to kick her out with pig and all? Heero could be the kind of person to not really care about what would happen to a girl in the middle of the night. He had advised her to leave in the morning, but it seemed that the Perfect Soldier appeared agitated and in real trouble or at least that was Evie's perception.

He picked up his silver cell phone from a small wooden table that was adorned next to the window. Before dialing he looked at the time which marked nine sharp, she hadn't called so it was probably a good sign that she hadn't been thrown out, but then again she probably didn't have money to buy a phone card, remembering that he did give her money to take a cab to Heero's place after all. _-That girl is just so damn reckless-_

As he was about to dial a faint knock was heard on the door, since it was so faint it barely caught his attention, so he decided to dial the first number, by the fourth number a second knock was heard that one being very pronounced and did by all means catch the loner's attention.

"Evie?" he asked himself softly, maybe his predictions were right. It couldn't be anybody else since it was a Preventer's building and only preventer members had the address and few outsiders knew about it or came to it.

He made way for himself to the door hoping to see Evie angry or sad that she had been thrown out. The moment he opened the door his black eyes were in for a shock and his face didn't show otherwise. "You?"

X.xx.X.xx.X.xx.X

Evie took out a towel and Lolita's pink bed from her suit case. Lolita happily curled up in her bed and closed her eyes. Evie thought it was best to unpack later it had been a long day after all; all she wanted to do at that moment was to take a warm bath and go to sleep. She had never been so drained and she hadn't even visited her family. _-This means I'm totally getting old-_ she sighed at her thoughts and smiled them off.

While she got undressed a faint knock was placed on her door.

"Who is it?" she asked to whoever the person was on the other side.

"It's me, aunt Evie! Can I come iiin??" Mai asked in a sing song voice.

"Sure sweetie, let yourself in."

Maisha entered happily and directed herself to the guest bed. She looked up at Evie questioningly.

"What's up kiddo?" Evie inquired upon seeing the small girl's expression.

"Are you going to take bath?" She dangled her feet over the bed playfully.

"Yup...right now-" She vacillated for a moment when she noticed a tiny miscalculation on her part. There was no bathtub in her room or bathroom for that matter.

"What's the matter?"

"I thought there was bathroom in this room too..." Her grey eyes searched around like it had disappeared somehow.

"Nope, this room doesn't have one, mine does have one," she gave her a beaming smile.

"Great!" She exclaimed, there was still hope for a nice relaxing bath, she thought.

"But my bath doesn't work though," Mai gave her and apologetically look, so there was no hope after all.

Evie sighed and bit her right side of her lower lip in thought. There had to be another bathtub and she was going to do anything to find it. But it didn't take long for her answer to arrive like a small yet riskily miracle.

"You know, there's a bathtub in uncle Heero's room, he lets me take a bath there sometimes... sometimes," she emphasized on the sometimes with a hint of hopelessness. "But if you want there's a shower downstairs."

"Oh no dear Mai, I will take a bath in a nice bathtub..." she grinned at the girl and bit her lip once more but this time with more malice.

Maisha once again looked up at her questioningly, this time wondering how she was going to convince Heero just to let her in his room.

"You should go to sleep now it's getting late," Evie urged her.

Mai frowned and whined, "But I can't sleep..."

She smiled and placed her hand softly on Mai's hair, "well want me to tell you a story?"

"Yeah!" The little girl's violet eyes shimmered in excitement, it had been a while since anyone told her a story or even sang to her. She was beginning to miss her parents really bad. But having Evie there gave a small comfort because she never dared to ask Heero to tell her a story and even less to sing to her.

Evie took Mai to her room and told her favorite princess story and noticed that she was falling asleep.

"Evie, did you learn any new languages when you were on earth?" she asked sleepily.

"Hmmm... well a little bit of Spanish and Swahili I guess... but only a little," she said as she motioned a little with her index finger and thumb.

"Will you teach me?"

"Of course, but right now you have to rest. Buenas noches (1)." She kissed Mai on the cheek and tucked her in.

"What was that?" she questioned her trying to figure out what language it was.

"Spanish, now good night," she whispered to her once again. Mai trying also said good night trying to imitate her aunts accent and Spanish words.

Once she was sure that Mai had gone to dream world she got up and headed to Heero's room, she wasn't going to be happy unless she had her bath.

"Heero..." she sang his name while peeking inside his room, the door was slightly opened and the lights were still on, sign that he was still awake.

"Even if the door is partly open, it doesn't mean you can come in," he proclaimed in his cold self.

Evie turned to where she had heard his voice and smirked. The Perfect Soldier was reading and typing at the same time in his laptop.

"But, I'm not inside..." she protested logically.

Without the need to look up and as he took deep breath he decided to ask, "what do you want?"

"Aren't you the most cheerful host," she joked but then continued with the matter at hand, "Maisha's bathtub doesn't work and my room doesn't have one. Since you haven't given me the tour and the layout of this apartment seems pretty obvious, I figured that your room must be the only one that contains a bathroom with a working bathtub."

Heero still didn't raise his gaze at her, "so?" He continued to type, seemingly uninterested of what she had said.

Evie rolled her eyes and decided to not poke her head but her whole body instead. She leaned on the door frame as to catch the working man's attention, to which she obtained perfectly. "So... I need to take a bath! I'm drained and I need a relaxing bath... so either fix Mai's bathtub or let me use yours," she requested not so politely.

Heero still caught up in looking at the girl's eye catching presentation restrained from talking for a while. He looked at her from head to toe; her towel only seemed to cover the important parts of her body yet left some for the imagination. Her long tanned legs stood out, he hadn't really noticed before that she had gotten tanned, probably from strong rays of the sun on earth. But it gave her a sort of sensuality to her look, she wasn't as pale or as skinny as she used to be when they met. She had filled out nice actually, or at least that's what Heero thought.

Thoughts which, he roughly shook out of his head and desperately tried to return to soldier mode. "There's a working shower downstairs, did your architecture logic miss that?"

She crossed her arms nonchalantly, "of course not, the thing is that I don't want to take **shower** I want to take a **bath** in a bath tub excuse my redundancy. And if I'm not mistaken these apartments have great Jacuzzi like bathtubs."

"How did you know?" He asked in wonder.

"I am an architect after all... is architecture logic..." she snapped back.

Heero still eloquently trying to drive his eyes from her body started to think of possible ways to get rid of her, "look just take a shower downstairs, I have work to do and you're distracting me."

"Am I now? Well... if you let me use your bath I won't bother you anymore... if you don't..." she began to warn.

"What? You're going to threat me that you're going to get naked, like you use to say," he snorted.

"No, that only worked before because you were a virgin back then..." she grinned.

Heero almost choked, he had forgotten that she was very straight forward woman.

"And it also worked because you would try to do anything to avoid me seeing you blush or have a nose bleed and I know you're so not a virgin now...hmmm..." she indicated delightfully and giggled.

It didn't take long for Heero to blush deeply and again desperately try to hide his vulnerable and yet adorable side and as always with Evie he failed miserably. Seeing that the embarrassing conversation would go on if he didn't let her have what she wanted he decided to please her.

"Fine, use it. But just be quiet for once," he embarrassedly turned around and acted like he was working.

Evie smiled triumphantly and looked at him one last time before entering into the bathroom and wondered if he was still blushing.

X.xx.X.xx.X.xx.X

"Deux honey, it's time for bed," Ciara informed her son all lovingly.

The blond boy placed his book on the night table next to his bed. Ciara smiled at the small boy and his habit of reading a book before going to sleep. Unlike many children his age he had reading, writing and reasoning skills above average. This usually made it difficult for him to make friends and boys and girls his age usually put him down because of his other interests. Even though Ciara was proud of his bright and kind son, part of her was always worrying that he didn't make any friends and was usually alone.

That's why when Akira came by she knew it was a good thing for Deux since his mood seemed different from the regular loner he tends to be and he usually talks about different things, child things other then adult and grown up themes not fit for his age. And he stops hanging out in the area where his mother works and spends more time in the Day Care area.

It seemed that his mood had brighten up in the past few weeks and he seemed to be spending all of his time in the Day Care. Ciara was happy about this; it meant that he had finally made friends other then Akira. She had to admit that Akira could sometimes be a mischievous child and one time to another could cause trouble in the company. To which no one said anything just like with Brenda, Akira's father had a big share of the company's profits and it seemed he only checked on the company once in a while since for him it was just another small income in his pocket.

"Did you wash your teeth?" She knew there was no need for her to ask that question, Deux most of the time acted more responsible than she did, yet she didn't feel right if that question wasn't asked.

Deux merely nodded and sighed his way to bed after closing the white doors of his closet. Ciara noticed this and finally came to a conclusion that he had been acting rather gloomy. Weird she thought, since today he had spend the whole day with Akira.

"Hon is there something wrong?" she asked in worried mother tone.

The blond boy shook his head first and then looked up at her with his bright sea blue eyes a hint of sadness, he wasn't good at hiding his emotions so he gave it a shot. "Mommy are girls always so complicated?"

For a moment there she thought he heard her son ask a question about girls being complicated, she went back and thought about it thoroughly and yes there it was, her son had asked about girls being complicated. Her eight year old son had just asked the million dollar question. How would she answer? Why in the world was asking that kind of question?

"Sweetie, what do you mean?" she urged him to specify something that only complicate the question more and obviously her answer.

"Well... I mean why do girls seem happy then all of a sudden their sad or angry... I don't get it..." he tried his best to explain, but even he was confused with the question or what he actually wanted to express.

"Well girls can't just get sad or angry all of sudden, something must happen," she answered as best as she could even if she hadn't really understood the question or the explanation.

"I knew it! So something must've happened to Mai..." he thought out loud. Akira made him think for a while that she was just angry out of no reason, but inside he knew that Mai wasn't like that and that something must have happened to her for her to have that sad expression while she left and the fact that she didn't say good bye to him.

"Mai?" Ciara questioned very confused, she had heard that name before in fact Deux seemed to mention her name a lot lately. But she never paid no mind, thinking that it was probably a character from his books from the way he described her.

"Yes, mom. Mai, remember I talk about her sometimes. She's really nice and different from all the girls there. She's even different from the girls in my school..."

"I see..." And it seemed to shock her for a while, her son talking like that about a kid his age it was astounding. Now that she thought about it a little bit more, she had heard a rumor about a new kid in the day care something about being Heero's child. "Is Mai Heero Yuy's daughter?"

Deux placed himself inside the covers while he thought about it. "Oh, no mom. Mr. Yuy is Mai's uncle," he answered eloquently.

She gave a big sigh of relief unconsciously, she had to admit that the first time she heard the rumor her heart sort of sank down and happened to be down all day. Somehow she couldn't really explain what her feelings were at any point when it came to Heero. All she knew was that when she saw him a jumpy feeling came over her and when he would just say one word to her it gave her hope of _something_, what? she wasn't sure of, but something.

"Anyway, thank you mom, good night," Deux kissed his mother good night then slipped farther down in to his bed.

Her hazel eyes expressed so much love for her son as she tucked him in, "good night my prince, I love you very much," and last she gave him a kiss on his forehead and headed of to bed herself.

X.xx.X.xx.X.xx.X

Wufei was restless and a bit nervous, she could tell and for a moment she wondered if he only got like that when she was around. There was no doubt in her mind that their relationship became more tense after she poured her heart out to him the way she did.

"Are you okay?" Sally asked with a concern tone in her voice. She stared at the tea cup to avoid looking directly at his eyes, to which she used to be accustomed at doing.

Wufei however looked at her directly even if she avoided his gaze. He realized he had to control his nerves and act normal, in the back of his mind he couldn't believe that she had her way with him, a way to make him feel all nervous and with a hint of adrenaline. She looked beutiful he thought, mind that he was still a bit shorter then her, he thanked God that she hadn't grown taller any more. Her blond hair seemed a lot wavier and her silhouette was awfully sexy with her blue business skirt and a blue blazer that curved her waist perfectly. Her white long legs crossed perfectly as to tease Wufei's gaze, he had to resist though, it wasn't gentle man like to gawk. But that's exactly what Sally wanted to achieve.

"I'm fine woman, but what are you doing here?" he questioned her coldly. He hadn't forgotten all the trouble he went through trying to find her after she left without saying anything to him. She left him partner less and friendless and part of him resented that very much.

"You're angry with me?" It was more of a statement then a question, at this Sally took her eyes of the tea cup she was holding to see if there was any expression from the lonesome oriental man. But his gaze was elsewhere as to avoid hers like she did before. She used that time to her advantage and looked at him from head to toe. He had gotten very handsome, it's true that merely little had changed after the two years they had separated, but there was something about him that just seemed different. His eyes weren't cold and distant any more, it almost made it possible to say that they had emotions in them.

"Are you just going to ignore me? I know you've been looking for me..." she began.

"Was..." he corrected as he finally dared to look at her in the eyes.

And it was at that exact time that Sally realized it wasn't her imagination, his eyes did show emotion, his beautiful black eyes reflected how hurt he was.

"I stopped looking for you when I realized it was a waste of time to find someone who didn't want to be found, I learned that from Heero... at first it was hard to do that with you, to let go, but I learned fast," he mentioned with a sarcastic yet dignified tone.

She hated that, his pride which seemed to always get the best of him and never let his real emotions come through. "What did you expect me to do Wufei?"

"What? You still ask what? After these years you still ask what?" he snorted and there it was, his real emotions. "I expected you to stay, to not leave me like you did. You tell me you love me out of nowhere and then you leave! What the hell is that!?" He stood up and walked around infuriated.

Sally was dumbfounded, not in a million years did she expect him to explode like so. But being the kind of woman she was, a woman that didn't appreciate being yelled at like that, decided to defend and stand by her reasons.

She stood up also placing the tea cup with a hard compression in the table and walked to Wufei's side. "What was that, you ask? Well... let me put it to you this way. I bear my damn heart out to you, tell you everything I feel for you and what is it that you said to me? Oh yeah I remember... nothing! You stayed quiet and left the freaking room to do your damn yoga or whatever it is that you do! That's what you did you bastard, while I was left there like a fool." Her blue eyes began to turn blurry, she turned away so he wouldn't see her and wiped away the watery substance and tried her best to fight them from coming down.

"First of all it's called meditation not yoga and what did you expect from me? It never happened to me, I didn't know what to do! I was confused about many things back then!" he shrugged while he exclaimed his last phrase and his tone turned down after that, "I've never known what love was really like. I always thought that love was what I had with Meiren, but even with her I realized it too late. When she died I realized that I felt something really deep for her and that I missed her... and then you came," he turned her around softly and stared into her crystal blue eyes, "you told me that you loved me and I..." Sally waited expectantly hoping to hear what she always wanted to hear, "I freaked out."

Sally's lips quivered, had she heard correctly, 'he freaked out?' Obviously not the words she expected to hear and before he said anything else that would make things worst she pushed him harshly away from her.

Wufei dumbfounded by her sudden action had no time to be reflective, but then again his guard was always down with her, one of his terrible mistakes he thought.

"What is wrong with you woman? Are you crazy?" he shouted as he gained his composure. For a woman, Sally was pretty strong.

"Nothing is wrong. And you know what? I didn't come here to talk about us..."

The ex-Gundam pilot sat back down on the couch followed by Sally. He looked at her skeptical and awaited for her to continue.

"Besides wanting to see how you were, I came to tell you that I saw Duo on colony L3-"

"What was he doing in L3?" he interrupted frantically.

"I'm not sure, but that's not all he seemed drunk, it was like he had been drinking for days," she explained while remembering when she had seen him.

"When was this?"

"About two weeks ago. He seemed angry and emotionally unstable," she mentioned worriedly.

Wufei thought about it for a while it had been about three months since Faye died and he knew that Duo hadn't really let out his anger and pain like he needed to. He needed to be strong for his little girl but that was just breaking him down even more.

"He found Heero," he mentioned, "He left Mai to his care."

"How did he find Heero?" she asked amazed. After all this time one of them actually found him, it was probably the need to find him that drove Duo to his location, but needless to say it was shocker.

"He just did..."

"Where is he?"

"In this colony, he also asked me to keep an eye on him and Mai just in case," he explained.

Sally looked at her watch, it was getting really late. "Anyway I just thought I should tell being that you're his friend and his child's godfather."

He nodded, "I'm sure he's fine, he's probably just crying his heart out alone. It is best for him to have gone since he can't obviously brake down and cry in front of his daughter. He did say he would be back soon, we have to trust him." At least that's what he hoped for.

Sally gave him a forceful smile, "speaking of which, where is the godmother? Isn't she living with you anymore?"

Wufei was stricken with silence for a moment while he tried to digest what she had asked, "who?" his voice showing a bit of nervousness. There was no possible way she could mean Evie.

"You know, the tall girl with long black hair... I heard she was living with you..." she taunted.

_So she did mean Evie_. Yet, his head spinned trying to imagine on how she found out.

"Seems you had company all along," her voice was stingy.

"What? Jealous?" he shot back.

Sally glared at him annoyed by his sarcastic comment, "of course not, why should I be. In fact I'm with someone also..."

Wufei nearly chocked when he heard her last declaration. _With someone._ Who was she with? When did she get a "_someone"_? He felt his anger rise, his face felt hot and his blood flow beginning to boil. He couldn't imagine seeing Sally with another guy.

"Who is he?" he demanded to know with the utmost chilling and frightful tone he could muster.

Sally cocked an eyebrow arrogantly and grinned. "I think you mean. Who is **she**?"

X.xx.X.xx.X.xx.X

_To be continued..._

**(1) Buenas noches- Good night**

**A/N:** Well people are you shocked that I updated this fast... yup I'm shocked too! Well promised delivered, Duo was in this chapter and in upcoming chapter you will know more about poor Duo. Drama and more drama soon to come, so hope you guys into it so far. Thanks for those who had added me as a favorite author and have added this fic into their favorites also, I am moved yet again. I'm glad it's liked so much that it has a privilege to be in your favorites and not to mention adding me as your favorite. I'm much honored because I know that there are a lot of talented writers here. Okay enough with the sappy stuff... but again THANK YOU!! I feel so happy and proud of this fic!!

I also have to say this chapter was really fun to write you can guess which parts were the most fun for me XD

Read and Review people! Make me happy okay? It only takes a few minutes and words, even if you hate it... well if you hate it be nice in saying it I am kind of emotional... can't you tell? XD

Thanks to those who have read this far and special thanks to those who reviewed...


	8. Tangled Up

**Disclaimer:** Nope I will never own Gundam Wing... well maybe if I become a multimillionair, doubt that will be happening any time soon... so don't sue me okay?

A/N: Special thanks to** ConquerorAlexander** for being my beta and making my fic readable...

**Sweet Lullaby **

**Chapter 8: Tangled Up**

"Seriously, that's what she said: 'Where's the tall girl with black hair?'... No adjectives like pretty or anything... I feel hurt." Evie commented dramatically.

"You're really missing the point here..."

"Okay chibi, so what is the point then?" she yawned sleepily before she continued, "Because, honestly, I don't understand. You said it was an emergency so what horrible disaster could've happened to you when I actually see you in one piece. Not to mention you had me come over at..." she quickly turned to look at Wufei's precise clock on a wall behind her, a look of shock struck her face, "six in the morning!"

She then remembered she only picked up the phone and managed to make out the words, come over…need to talk to you…now. To Wufei's luck she happens to be very obedient when she's half asleep, so she probably had no idea how she made it there.

"Oh stop whining woman and for your information it is something horrible..." realizing his statements made him look like he cared he diligently corrected himself, "not that it's my problem... or anything of that sort... and it's not like I'm supposed to worry about something like that-"

"Damn it, just say it!" Evie urged annoyed by this side of Wufei and not to mention the fact that she hated to be woken up at such a time.

Exasperated also he felt he had no choice but to reveal the certain mystery so he took a deep breath and let it out, "Sally's back..."

"Oh... did she-"

"That's not all..." he interrupted, he fidgeted in his seat for a while, "she's gay..." he said hoarsely.

"Say what?" She questioned while blinking her eyes in confusion.

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" He cleared his throat, crossed his arms and waited for her reaction.

Finally snapping out of her confusion by looking at Wufei's expression her lips began to quiver and a small ticklish feeling came over her.

"Ouch dude, she... totally changed you for a chick," she managed to say in between breaths, "talk about true dishonor huh?" And that was it to make her laugh uncontrollably.

"Yeah... yeah. Haha very cute," he said obviously very annoyed, it wasn't the precise reaction he was expecting.

Evie continued to giggle at poor Wufei's expense. Meanwhile all he could do was ignore her until her giggle attack would die down.

"Okay... okay... I'm sorry... I won't laugh again," she declared but it only lasted seconds until a new giggles emerged.

Wufei rolled his eyes and before he had any chance to protest his cell phone vibrated and soon after that it rang. The expression on his face soon changed from annoyed to completely unreadable as soon as he read the name on the mobile screen. He was hoping for this call, the image of the person was not able to appear on his phone however, meaning he would only be able to hear her voice; which was very like her. But it would have to be enough never the less.

"Did you know?" Wufei asked without hesitation.

"Well good morning to you too Chang," called out lady Une sarcastically, "may I ask what was the urgency of your last... twenty missed calls?"

"I'm asking, did you know?" he urged her to answer.

"Did I know what Chang? Please elaborate on your question because on the contraire to what you may think, I am not a mind reader."

"Well let me elaborate for you... did you know about Sally and Noin?!" he screamed at the phone enough to hurt the ear of the person on the other side.

Evie decided it was a conversation she should not be included in and crept as softly as she could into the kitchen leaving a screaming Wufei in the living area.

"Oh that..." Une pointed out delicately.

"Yes that!" he yelled out.

"Chang my ears are very sensitive, keep on screaming and I swear... I will cut your balls off... PERSONALLY," she threatened in her second evil persona. "Now dear go ahead take a deep breath and continue," she urged now back to her nice persona. "And don't you dare roll your eyes at me."

Wufei looked at the phone and wondered how on earth did she know, he was doing that if there was no possible way for her to see him.

Leaving that aside he continued, "Was I the last to know? And how dare you keep that from me? You knew where she was all along...while I looked for her in every possible place I could think of."

"Well excuse me, but I am not one to go about and publish my workers sex preferences or whereabouts," she answered politely.

"Bullshit, you told Duo where Heero was... and besides you didn't have to tell the whole world, you just had to tell me."

Lady Une chuckled in a sarcastic manner; this made Wufei want to murder Lady Une but all he had was the phone, so he began to choke it while he imagined it was her. He placed it back to his ear as soon as he heard her talking.

"Well Wufei it seems that now you care. Well tough cookie boy, you lost her and to a girl, so live with it. Besides I thought you replaced her for that humanitarian rich girl?" she asked but it was more of a statement than a question.

And all it did was piss off Wufei even more, "so it was you who told Sally about Evie."

"Evie, I almost forgot her name. Well didn't you?"

"It's none of your business."

"True, just like it's none of my business to tell you anything about Sally!!" She announced before hanging up.

Wufei grunted and began to choke his cell phone once again, "I hate you Une and Sally and Noin!!"

"What you're gay now too?" Evie joked while she stepped into the living room with a glass of water in her hand.

"Shut up, I hate you too," he growled.

"Jeez, stop you're prejudice against woman, it's not good for you."

"No, you know what?" he started while Evie stared blankly awaiting for his declaration, "I am free of all prejudice, I hate everyone equally!"

"Oh yeah, much better." She grinned.

It was definitely unlike the loner to let his temper get the best of him being that he was always very 'zen like'. A person always mediates with their own problems finding a solution, a normal person that is. An ex- Gundam pilot however, has to take baby steps to mediate with its surroundings and life itself. Wufei was finally learning that worrying about something other than missions was not as easy as people made it seem.

**m(oO)m m(oO)m m(oO)m**

"I can't believe you said that to him..." Noin said in disbelief to her now _supposed_ 'lover'. Sally had told her every last detail of her encounter with her _supposed_ 'ex- love interest'. Noin let out a chuckle as she imagine the ex-pilot's face when the blond girl came out to him like she did.

"So I guess we're lovers now." The blond Preventer gave Noin a toothy smile.

"You're evil..." she responded sarcastically.

"If I recall correctly Lucrezia it was your plan anyway," Sally shot back afraid that her friend would be backing down.

"I said it as a joke... I never thought you would follow through and tell Wufei that we were lovers," Noin explained with a soothing tone.

"But it worked, you should've seen his face..." she reminisced on that moment and on how she felt on that exact moment. Who said vengeance wasn't sweet? For at that time it was so glorious to make him pay for the humiliation and the heartache. But at the same time her head began to spin with a mixture of thoughts. Like: _Was he really jealous? Or was it the fact that she had told him she is now supposedly with Noin what really affected him? Did he stop looking for her because he stopped caring for her? Did he finally learn how to love... and if he did was it with the girl he was living with?_

Noin looked at her friend for a while and wondered what thoughts flooded her mind. She began to worry when the blonde made no effort to snap out of them.

"Sally what's wrong?" Noin asked in an effort to bring her back to reality.

"Nothing," she almost whispered. But the truth was , she was being invaded by those crazy thoughts and feelings she thought to be over with. Being that the reason she left; to get over Wufei... to stop loving him. That night however it was the total opposite. Different feelings and all sorts of tempting desires surfaced in her heart and her body. It wasn't supposed to happen like that and even though she kept her cool she knew that if she stayed there a few minutes longer the plan wouldn't have worked at all and she would've melted in his arms once again.

That night when she was face to face with him she was afraid there was going to be a weak moment for her and that she would at any time forgotten everything she had been through. Even though she wanted to tell him how much she had missed him and how sorry she was for leaving like she did, Sally stood her ground and her pride was bigger than her feelings. But now that didn't matter she was scared more than ever that his heart belonged to another. Her heart sank when Une had told her that Wufei was living with a woman that Sally remembered seeing in Duo's wedding and a few days after.

**:Flashback: **

Sally looked around for any sign of her date, the wedding was very well planned and the design from the tables to the stage with entertainment was wonderfully placed in Quatre's huge backyard. She was in awe as she looked at all the detail including inside the mansion walls and sighed in wonder if she would ever have her own wedding.

Her thoughts were interrupted as soon as she spotted who she was looking for, so she headed down the fancy stairs. Wufei turned and gave his undivided attention to his date who was breath taking like a princess walking down to meet her prince. Her red strapless dress made her eyes glow and her blond hair stand out beautifully.

Wufei gently reached with his left hand for the butterfly necklace that adorned her perfect neck. "You wore it," he said with a hint of surprise.

Sally blushed and nodded but she soon caught a glimpse of his right hand.

"Wufei what happened to your hand?!" she questioned him with an alarmed tone.

The lonesome ex-pilot made a fist of his right hand and had not notice the red substance drying in his white skin. Sally now really scared for him tried to reach for his hand but he rapidly backed up.

"It's just paint," he responded as fast as he could.

But Sally knew when he was lying, it was something she had mastered soon after working with him for long hours. "Liar, that's not paint. What is it? Is it blood?"

"Gift problems..." he mumbled while he grabbed a handkerchief he remembered he had on his left pocket.

She decided not to push it anymore because if she knew him well enough as she thought she did he would continue to either avoid the question or lie until the person would get tired of asking.

Wufei did his best to clean up the blood that wasn't completely dry. The blond girl sighed in relief when she saw that it came right off and there was no evidence that it came from him, all he had was a red fist which seemed to have had a strong contact with something or someone.

Before Sally had any chance to continue with the interrogation a girl came running down a hall and to the front of the stairs where they were. She stopped a few inches from them and took Wufei's hand without any warning.

"Oh my God, are you okay? I'm so sorry... this was all due to my lack of judgment, my fault as always... I apologize for getting you involved in my problems," the girl apologized with guilt in her eyes.

Sally was taken aback by the girl's action and by her in general. While the girl offered sweetly to help him wash and clean his hand, Sally found it was strange to see the ex-pilot make no effort whatsoever to move away.

"I'm alright, don't worry," he managed to say. He looked back and forth to the girl and Sally's direction and was confused to see Sally's expression it was a new one for him.

And the blond felt a new kind of feeling invade her whole system, something she had never felt with Wufei before... jealousy. It was right then and there she had new found emotions for the ex-pilot, how could she not, when there was this strange girl caressing sweetly and apologetically at her partner, date and possible boyfriend's hand. It didn't take long for her to start comparing the girl to herself and she couldn't help but feel even more jealous and envious. Her long black hair was outrageously straight and her grey eyes sparkled for some reason, she was pretty tall yet held a graceful posture.

_-She's so feminine and girly... hmm yet she's quite tall... very tall. A few inches taller than me, I would say...- _

She sighed at her last thought at least that made her feel at ease that the girl was very tall, but still the fact that she was more feminine bothered her for some reason and it was noticeable by the way the girl moved her hands and the way she spoke, to the way she dressed. Sally dreaded wearing gowns and not to mention heels but in which case she couldn't wear them anyway because they would make her look a lot taller than Wufei. Sally turned her gaze down to catch a glimpse at the girl's foot ware and to make things even worse. The girl was wearing high heel stilettos very high heels, meaning she wasn't as tall as she looked, in fact calculating the shoes height she was almost Wufei's height.

_-Oh great... she can even manage high heels for God's sake... and does she have to be so nice to him? And what about this jerk isn't he going to move away or anything? He's so going to pay for this... what the hell am I thinking?.-_

It was unlike her on so many levels but she hadn't felt this way about anyone like she did with Wufei, it was right then she understood what could be happening...

_-I'm falling in love with him...-_

Lost in her thoughts specially her new revelation, she thoroughly missed the girl as she was leaving. She soon snapped back and stared at Wufei with narrowed eyes.

"So... who was that?"

"Some girl," Wufei replied nonchalantly.

"Oh... so now are you going to tell me what happened?" She persisted with the question, now more then ever she wanted to know what happened between the two of them.

Wufei was stunned by Sally's serious expression and tone, "Nothing happened, it was an accident."

"Really... and was this accident happened to be caused by 'some girl'?" she taunted.

"What is this?" he asked annoyed by her taunting.

"What's what?"

"This... this attitude you're having towards me right now." Wufei moved closer towards her.

But before he could get as close as he wanted Sally smiled sarcastically, "Why don't you go ask 'some girl'," and with that she turned to leave.

**:End Flashback:**

The phone ran a few times before Sally decided to answer, it was a picture call.

"Lady Une, how are you?" Sally greeted as the image became clear.

"Oh, I'm great..." Une said mischievously and a grin that was so malicious that only a kid who had stolen candy could have, "you were right, he did call me."

Sally smiled like she had won the jackpot and looked at Noin who was smiling back,"Thanks for covering us."

Lady Une placed her chin on both her hands, "no problem it was fun. By the way the girl's name is Evie just in case you were still wondering."

But by that time Sally had already remembered the girls name and what she had always felt for her and for a moment she had felt a pinch of relief when she didn't see that girl with Wufei. However had it not been for Lady Une who mentioned her name meaning that they had talked about her when she spoke to Wufei those uneasy feelings wouldn't be cluttering up in her stomach.

**m(oO)m m(oO)m m(oO)m**

After moments of quietness and moments of Evie's failed attempts to get Wufei to open up to his real feelings, time passed fast and went unnoticed by the two. There was nothing else the grey eyed girl could think of to relieve her friend's condition, even he wasn't sure of what he felt, clarity was obviously missing in the facts of his life and emotions. It just wasn't easy, but then again nothing in their lives came easy to begin with.

There was a slight instant where Wufei stopped thinking about Sally and turned to look at the girl sitting quietly in the corner of his couch. So it seemed that Sally was not the only causing the confusion inside him, after Meiren he hadn't had any female contact other then Sally and when Sally left, Evie was there for him even if it were just for a while. He helped her as much as she helped him many times before, therefore it was no surprise Evie mentioned all the time that they had a special bond, even 'till today she shows up at any time when he calls. And somehow he ends up confiding in her what he would never confide in anyone else making him feel even less lonely, not that he ever had a problem with loneliness, it was just nice to have someone to count on. Secretly though he wondered whether their bond went beyond just friendship and could it at any time work. But that was just in a slight instant until his phone rang and caught both of them off guard.

"Hello?" Wufei answered the phone.

"Morning, it's me Heero."

"Hey, what's going on?" Wufei asked nonchalantly, surprised to hear his voice on the other end.

"I was just wondering if you've seen Evie?" Heero asked in his usual monotone voice.

His black eyes narrowed and a small curl appeared on his lips, "yeah, actually she's here, why?" he asked with a hint of curiosity as to why Heero would be checking up on Evie like that. Evie looked at him as soon as she heard her name being mentioned. She figured it was Heero and looked at her watch; it was nine on the dot.

"She doesn't answer her cell phone... can I speak to her?" Heero sounded a bit frustrated. Wufei handed Evie the phone.

"Hello?" she asked just to make sure she wasn't going to be surprised by another voice.

"I've been calling you for an hour..." Heero began but was interrupted.

"You have? But I haven't..." Evie took out her cell phone and noticed that it was off, she softly smacked her forehead, "Sorry I had it off, I didn't know..." Evie tried explaining herself apologetically.

"It doesn't matter now, you have to get here before she wakes up," Heero ordered.

"She? Lolita?" She asked confused.

"Mai!" he exclaimed.

"Oh...OH! Yeah... okay I'll be there in a few," she reassured him and with that she hung up.

"What was that about?" Wufei inquired with a smirk on his face.

"He's just afraid that Mai's going to wake up and start crying, she just knows how to get to him. And what's that smirk for? I hope you're not thinking he was controlling where I was... because, he doesn't give a dime for me..."

"Really? If you say so..." Wufei kept on smirking, "and she's Duo's kid of course she knows how to get to him, she was born with that gift."

She smiled and then thought of something that might help his friend forget of everything that had happened to him, at least for a while. "Hey Wu... you want hang out with us for a while? I mean Heero's not working today... I mean if you don't have any mission or detective stuff or whatever it is that you do... we were thinking of taking Mai out today..."

Wufei thought about it, but he somehow felt it might disturb Heero, it actually might disturb him to be near Heero too. He shook his head at Evie apologetically, Evie smiled shyly at him and walked to the door silently. She looked back at him once more just to see if would comply to her invitation, but no luck.

As she was waiting for the elevator doors to open, her eye caught the glimpse a familiar friend coming towards her. She was almost shocked to see him there; Wufei wasn't the types to change his mind about anything. He stood there beside her in silence, a small curl on her lips meant that she understood why he was there. Invitation was accepted.

**m(oO)m m(oO)m m(oO)m**

Duo looked around, there was barely any light in the room making it hard to make out if it was either day or night. The drugs wore off a while ago making him more conscious of his surroundings and an odd silence was his companion. He leaned back on the wall behind him making an effort to get up, but his legs wouldn't cooperate, his hands were the only ones that would react but were still tied, he had no strength left in his body to try and untie them. A small ray of light shined through his eyes tried to accommodate to that small welcoming light and soon he saw a plate in the middle of the room. He wasn't sure if it was safe to eat it, but he was hungry and it also seemed unreasonable of him to die of hunger.

Duo tried best as he could to crawl to where the plate was a sandwich on top of it and a glass of water next to it. He picked it up as well as he could trying his best not to drop it and looked at it to see if it didn't have anything strange on or within. After a not so thorough inspection he decided it was okay and ate it. The glass of water was like a second chance at life, he had been dying from thirst without him noticing it, and with one gulp he finished the water. The drugs kept him unaware of his need for food or liquids and it seemed rather odd that his kidnappers were nowhere in sight.

As he crept back to the back wall, the ray of light had somewhat faintly lid up the room. He could finally make out a table next to the left wall but paid no mind to it. Duo wanted to remember how he got there or anything before, as he tried to remember he winced at the shot of pain that struck through his head.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked himself, rocking his head with both his tied hands back and forth just to ease the pain; after the pain indistinct flashes of events submerged in his mind. A phone call that he remembered well now, a raspy voice saying - "Want to know what really happened to your wife?"-. Another flash reminded him he was told to meet that person in L3, the meeting place, he was eager to go, his wife's death wasn't what everyone else made it out to believe and that person reassured his doubts that he wasn't wrong.

He remembered he had left Mai with Heero. "_I found Heero..."_ he whispered to himself in disbelief. He made an effort to remember more, his anxiety growing, drops of sweat running down his made it clear he wasn't doing too well. He told himself he had to remember, if not for his sake for the sake of his child.

Xx.Xx.Xx

Well I was thinking you guys could help out a bit... let's see, since everything about Gundam Wing is very future like, I would like you to come up with future like things, like future phones and objects. If the object seem interesting I will do everything I can to make it work in the fic, so let your imagination work okay? XD

I'm sorry this chapter took so long but I didn't have internet untill a few days ago. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I want to thank all of those who reviewed the last chapter:

**Vitanie Tora:** As always your reviews are always very well recieved. I enjoy your reviews very much and make me super glad that your still enjoying the fic!

**Satta Kurosama**: My good friend! Thanks for taking the time to read and for reviewing. I'm glad you notice that about Heero's love interest and I'm glad you like it to. Still love your fic by the way! XD

**Kat: **Thank you for those reviews they really flatter me... I'm glad you've noticed all thos things. I will be uncovering Quatre's death pretty soon and what is Duo going through too. Hope you keep on reading and reviewing thanks again!! I appreciate it very much.

Last but not least as always the greates beta and writer ever XD... **ConquerorAlexander** you rock! Thanks for being true to my fic and taking time to beta it. You're the best! TOM!


	9. Two Moons part I

**Disclamer: **As always… I will never, ever own Gundam Wing… ever… _(sniff)_

Thanks to KatCora she was the beta this time, thanks for offering nice timing too.

**Sweet Lullaby**

**Chapter 9:** Two Moons Part I

The drugs wanted to quickly leave his body he could definitely feel it. "Hey!" he began to yell, in hopes that any of the two would hear him. "Hey! Oh, come on! When I don't need you guys, you're always here," he insisted, but no one came. He felt like his guts were getting ripped to shreds, the pain was getting unbearable by the minute.

As he began to get irritated, he started pounding on the wall, "fuck," he mumbled. He really wanted to go to the bathroom.

"What do you want?" Richard the smallest of the brothers rushed in, now he wasn't sure if he was the smallest including by age, because his face like his brother's was always covered. But even so he was more reasonable then the other guy, he told Duo to call him Richard, it was probably a made up name… however it gave him the certainty that he wasn't as bad as his brother.

After a moment of analyzing Richard the braided ex-pilot realized that Richard's voice had completely changed. "Hey what's wrong with your voice?" Duo dared to ask. It wasn't the voice he was used to hearing, it wasn't husky anymore and it was more boyish like. The man cleared his throat but it didn't help at all, Duo was being more suspicious then before.

"What did you want?" The flustered man asked.

Duo looked around and realized the other guy wasn't with him, somehow he felt relieved, there was just something more evil about the other one, the hatred was stronger or so it seemed.



"I need to go to the bathroom," Duo groaned.

"Fine," the man complied and cleared his throat once again. He led him to the bathroom and even though he was in pain, it was the perfect opportunity to check his surroundings. Richard was a bit naïve and didn't threaten him with a gun all the time unlike his brother.

The pilot was feeling a lot better after, his head wasn't as dizzy as before and he could think clearer now. He had scanned the place; it seemed like a normal home although he couldn't make out where the door was or anything else for that matter, the bathroom was pretty secluded.

_I have to find a way to get out of this mess… or at least warn Heero to protect Mai_. But in fact that was something that kept him at ease; he knew Heero would protect his daughter no matter what. Nevertheless he wasn't going to resign in dying at a place like that and less without knowing the reasons why.

As Duo sat back down into his usual spot, he was startled not by Richard's voice, but by his sudden words, "You could end this if you want."

His eyes widened in shock, did he really mean it? Or was it just another trick? It felt like he meant it, or so Duo thought. There was angst in his tone, different from his usual husky and rough voice. Odd, he thought, it seemed like Richard was a different person this time.

"What do you mean by I could end this?" He stared at him with valor mirroring from his violet eyes, yet inside he was frightened by the kind of answer he would receive. However, he received none; the man with light brown eyes stared at him back and said nothing.

Odd, he thought once again, his eyes gave in a different feel, like it was a whole different person. His eyes almost reflected, care?

"You have to tell me. What did you mean by it?" Duo's tone increased remarkably, violet eyes changed to a darker color. "If you won't answer that, then let me tell you something. I don't think you want to be doing this."



Richard was dumbfounded; he moving back a few paces said it all. Duo had hit the spot or so he hoped.

"You don't know anything." And with those words Duo knew he had found a weakness.

So he decided he would push even further, "I don't think you're like your brother at all-"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Richard shouted, "You don't know me or my brother!" He cocked his gun and aimed it at Duo's head, the small voice telling him over and over he should kill him, but another voice told him not to. It made him angry to remember his brother's words, that he would never be like him. The braided ex-pilot did not move but not once did he show any signs of panic, instead he had a slight grin on his face.

"You're definitely a Gundam Pilot…" He stated while he lowered his gun.

Duo's grin faded and it hit him, "Is that what this is about… me being a Gundam Pilot?!"

"It's more then you being a Gundam Pilot, it's paying for your sins…"

"My sins?" He repeated.

"Our family was disintegrated because of you…"

That voice somehow became familiar, _No way, it can't be, it must be the drugs_, Duo thought. Shaking the thought off his head, he looked at him defiantly. "We all lost people we loved in the War, all of us who participated don't have it easy… You think I can sleep at night? Or live with the fact that I killed fathers, brothers, sisters and only God knows how many more families I did disintegrate."

He knew this day would come, Heero, Wufei and Trowa knew it too; that one day the past would come back to haunt them. Duo was just regretting that it had to happen now, when he had a life to look forward to and a daughter 

that needed him. He hated himself for a lot of things he did in the past and tried to make amends in any way he could. _But I'm still being punished._

X.x.X.x.X

Wufei looked over the window admiring the two moons that decorated the colony. They gave off a radiant yet gentle light and the large window allowed the soft colors to enter the room. Heero walked over by his side and rested his back on the wall next to the window.

"Evie went to check on Mai." Heero stated bluntly.

Wufei nodded, it was as if he had read his mind. "Maisha didn't seem herself today."

Heero grunted as a response, "She won't tell me what's bothering her."

"Heh, that's because you're no good with woman Yuy." Wufei taunted and smirked, but only to receive a glare from his not so amused _friend_.

After an extended amount of silence, Heero decided it was time to question the Chinese ex-pilot. "So why are you really here?"

Wufei arched his left eyebrow, his black eyes reflecting confusion, "What do you mean?"

"You didn't come here just to check up on me," he asserted in his regular monotone self.

He replied with a grin, Heero knew him very well but then again it was mutual at times. "You're right, it seems destiny wanted us to get together anyhow," he began, "It was just a coincidence at first, I saw Duo, he hid the reason of why he was here in the first place. Then he told me to watch Mai when I could and that she was going to be with you…" Heero maintained quiet and watched outside the window while he listened. "I didn't think Duo 

would find you, I thought he had given up… after we all decided to stop looking for you."

That caught Heero off guard, his icy blue eyes softened; _**they**_ had been looking for him. The first thing in his mind before he left was _I'm not going to be missed_.

"You still didn't answer my question," he retorted trying to change the awkward subject. He didn't like to think of those things, it just made him feel worst and he had enough with his guilt to torment him every day.

"There's an important investigation that I'm leading…"Wufei crossed his arms, he was hoping they wouldn't touch this subject so he wouldn't have to do what Lady Une ordered him to do.

Heero's eyes seemed to sparkle at the talk of investigation, that frightened the Chinese Preventer. "What kind of investigation?"

He rolled his eyes and sought to answer, "This HC-32 case that has become a pain to the whole Unit-"

"Human cloning?" Heero was well aware of most cases, Lady Une made sure to inform him when he was really needed. "Wasn't that case suspended?"

"It _was_, for lack of evidence and such. Not long ago however, we found the body of Central Africa's Goodwill Ambassador-"

"Kent Farrow…" Heero acknowledged. "What does his death have to do with the HC-32 case?"

"His body was a clone," he specified and gritted his teeth. Never in his Preventer career had he taken so long in closing a case, his frustration was imminent.

Heero was slowly becoming intrigued, he hadn't taken a case in a while, Lady Une hadn't called since the last time she offered him a job there. Placing his left hand on his chin he pondered about what Wufei had said, "How could you mistake a clone for a real human?"



"New development, you see we found a nanobot pill."

Astounded by this new discovery Heero was now eager to know more. "You found a nanobot? Their manufacturing is illegal, not to mention there aren't many resources for them," he proceeded logically, "leaving that aside, it is nearly impossible for a nanobot to move the body at all. It just can't be done."

"They didn't use it to give life to the clone…" Wufei waited to see if he would take a wild guess, but for the first time the Perfect Soldier was at a lost. "They used it to introduce DNA on the body, Farrow's DNA, that's how it was lead to believe he was dead and that it was his body," he took a deep breath before continuing, his eager listener faced him and showed him a lot more interest than he expected. "Une, wasn't convinced about the autopsy, said they can be negligent. Besides that, Farrow was a childhood friend, so Une took it personal… the body was sent to the best forensic crew we have. That's when they found that the nanobot hadn't deteriorated completely. "

"It was meant for disintegration?"

"Hence the pill formation…" he complied, "They wanted everyone to believe that was the real Farrow. We would've been screwed if the nanobot had been dissolved."

Heero nodded in understanding, it was by far the most interesting case he had ever heard of so far, besides Relena's attempt assassination years ago. "I see… but what's the point? Other than Animal Cloning, cloning humans is absolutely useless, there has been no breakthrough and clone humans can't talk, walk or breathe for that matter. So-"

Wufei cut him short with even more unraveling information, "That's not all; we are not sure what they're planning to do. But we do know that the nanobot pills aren't exclusive to clone usage. They can be used as drugs and alter nerves, voice and can even render you're unconscious to enslavement."



"What? How is that possible?" Heero was dumbstruck he had never heard of such a thing. "Is it a new weapon?"

"We used it on one of our agents a very well trained one at that, yet he lost it, maybe the composition we used wasn't like theirs. After all we were just experimenting with what we had, still it bothered me, his vocal cords managed different types of pitches, not to mention he turned violent, saying things we didn't understand," he clarified. "As for your last question, we're not sure, that's why I'm on the case… and Une wants you in on it too."

"Hn," he grunted and turned to look another way. Indulging in his thoughts of whether to join the case or not, he eyed Wufei just to get a glimpse of his old comrade, "I'll do what I can," and with that he answered. Leaving the White Dragon amazed that he would actually accept.

"What about Farrow?"

"We don't know if he's being held captive… or dead."

Surely this was turning for the worst and life had a pretty messed up way to get them back together. The only question remains, is it a new threat? And if it is how will it affect their lives?

X.x.x.X.x.x.X

Special thanks to **ConquerorAlexander, VitanieTora, KatCora, shortslover911**. You guys rock, thank you for your wonderful reviews you guys keep me going!

**A/N:** This will be a two part chapter… sort of… explaining on what is going on with Duo. I know what you're thinking, "About freaking time!"

Yeah, I know, sorry it took a while but I had to show how the characters had developed so far and how they've changed since it will affect their future. I didn't want it to be too long, because I didn't want to bore you… with a super long chapter so the next will be on Duo too. Maybe Mai too, if you think it shouldn't have Mai and only Duo then you can tell me. I accept pointers. As 

you can tell past chapter 2 I've been working with multiple characters, it's not that easy but I like it.

If you want to see what my OC's look like in my twisted mind, then go to my profile the links for their images are there. Oh and please vote on the poll, I'm really interested in your opinion!

Also check out My Memory of Her by ConquerorAlexander! It's unique and one of a kind!

ONE MORE THING! REVIEEEEW!! Make me happy!!


	10. Two Moons part II Labyrinth

**Disclamer: **Honestly, I still don't own Gundam Wing. So just read on…okay?

**Sweet Lullaby**

**Chapter 10: **Two Moons part II (Labyrinth)

Maisha glanced out her window, wondering if her father was looking at the same two moons. She sighed at how beautiful they both were, one was a pale blue and the other a pale purple, they gave her room a colorful yet dim type of light. The sky looked so real even though it was sealed outside by a protective panel; still it was different from other colonies since in this one the panel was transparent allowing the people to view the wonders of space but only at night. A sole tear journeyed down Miasha's soft peach skin. A feeling overcoming her tightened heart, even though she wasn't alone she felt like she was, without her mother and father it just felt hard to feel alright.

A slight tickle on her bare ankle shook her out of her thoughts; she looked down at her feet while she wiped away the watery substance off her cheek. Lolita sat there waiting for Mai to acknowledge her. Mai smiled at the sight of the pink creature and picked her up in her arms. Lolita loved being pampered and always wanted attention. She licked her cheek where the tear had been as to show Mai that she was thrilled to be in her arms. "You're tongue feels funny." The small girl giggled as she experienced the ticklish feeling yet again.

While carrying Lolita in her arms she headed towards her bed. She removed the top blanket which she used for bundling up and placed the expecting Lolita under the covers followed by her. Another tear escaped from her violet almost amethyst colored eyes. Lolita watched in wonder and licked her cheek once again but only provoked a cloud in her eyes and more tears made their way out.

Evie knocked lightly on Mai's door, to which Mai quickly rubbed her eyes and took a position of being asleep. After not receiving any answer from the young child, she decided to let herself in. She walked over beside her bed, a sigh escaped her lips; she shook her head amused by the sight of Mai holding a very still Lolita as if she were a stuffed animal. Silently she watched her, but was surprised when she saw Maisha's cheek wet and a small tear roll down innocently. _She's not asleep. _

"Mai… what's wrong honey?" Evie was indeed alarmed; Mai had been avoiding all of them the whole day and wasn't enjoying anything.

The small girl aware that she had been caught let go of the small pig and turned to look at Evie.

"Nothing," she muttered. Her eyes were red and puffy, not from crying a lot but from holding her tears back. A mixture of different and overwhelming feelings invaded her small heart and couldn't 

help but lunge and hug Evie. Imagining for just a moment it was her mother… even though she already knew the reality, it wasn't her.

Her grey eyes opened wide, perplexed by the little girl's action. She didn't know how to react and her arms slumped to the side, she wasn't good with children either. Not like Faye was, _Faye was good at everything,_ she thought. A twitch in her eye made an appearance it always did when she thought about Faye. _This is what guilt feels like._

"It's my fault! It's all my fault!!" Maisha bellowed out. Startling the grey eyed girl out of her thoughts.

She placed her right hand gently on Mai's chestnut hair, "What are you talking about?"

"The reason mommy died! It's my fault!" She cried out, this time the tears didn't hesitate to freely roll down her cheeks.

Shock was written all over Evie's face, finding it hard to move or even speak. Why on earth was she blaming herself for it? Evie knew better than anyone that neither Mai nor Duo was to blame.

She snapped out of it however, when she heard Maisha whimpering. Lightly she picked up her face with her middle and index finger.

"Never… ever say it's your fault… you are not to blame… ever," she chocked on her own words.

Maisha thought otherwise, "No! It is my fault. Why does everyone have to lie to me?" She rubbed her eyes leaving them redder and puffier then before, "My daddy said that my mommy died 'cause she was sick… it was a lie… she wasn't sick… she was strong… she just didn't want to be with me anymore… I wasn't a good girl…"

"Listen to me that it's not true, Maisha, it's not. You're a very good girl and your mother was proud of you!" Tears began forming, making her give off a crystal like effect. It was getting too much for her to handle, but she had to bare it… she owed her that much and more.

She didn't want to listen anymore to what everyone else had to say, Mai shook her head fiercely, "It's true!! I heard my him talking to uncle Wuffie… that mommy had killed herself… that it was what the police had said! She didn't want me anymore… she didn't… it was me…and now my daddy doesn't want me either…"

Evie's heart sank to bottom of her stomach, how did it end up this way? This innocent little girl was blaming herself for something she wasn't part of. Without thinking about it too long Evie wrapped her arms around the small child and they both cried together, let our every guilty feeling that was haunting them both. Even if there was innocence in the guilty, it didn't stop them from feeling like it wasn't so.



Lolita not wanting to be left out made a gap in between them enough so she could place herself right in middle. The warmth among the three slowly eased the pain they both felt. Evie hastily wiped off the tears on the naïve child and grabbed her cheeks so that her eyes could meet hers.

"Listen to me sweetie and listen carefully," she ordered, Mai nodded her head as best as she could, "The only reason your father said that is because he loves you… he loves you more than anything in the world and so did your mother. Don't ever doubt that your mother loved you!"

Mai nodded slightly in understanding… trying to feel strong and not cry just like he promised her uncle Wufei.

X.x.x.X

Duo searched around in the floor, it was strange that something had fallen out of Richard's eye and even stranger that he rushed out of the room. _It's too damn dark, I can't see anything! But what was it that fell out of his eye… _

He wondered and in the midst of the wondering he came in contact with something that didn't belong on the floor, it was small and of odd texture. The braided man grabbed it carefully, it felt delicate and that it would rip apart easily, although not too long past when the small object hardened. His eyes searched for any sign of light anywhere, bingo, a small clear let in a dim bluish light from the window that had been covered up. Reaching out his hand so that the small object was shun upon by the ray of light, his eyes widened in wonder when he realized what it was. A contact lens was resting in his palm, he got as close as he could and saw some color in them, not sure of what color because of the light, but it definitely had color. _He either has a lot of vanity in him… or something weird is up. _

"What are you doing?" Richard came back in, his voice was still strange, like it was trying to smooth out and he rubbed his neck area constantly.

Duo went back to his usual spot and smiled innocently, "Nothing absolutely nothing, it's just so dark in here and it's pretty annoying even for the God of Death."

Richard opened the door a bit more so the light went into the room. Duo found it odd how different he truly was from his brother and his occasional mood swings. "What happened to your eye?" Duo asked plainly.

"Huh?" Richard was surprised, but then again he was a Gundam Pilot, he was trained to notice all sorts of details, his brother had informed him of that. "Dust… there was dust in my eye."



"You shouldn't wear that mask then… or contact lenses they can irritate your eyes… especially if you're not use to them."

Just as he had been told… he notice the little details… he wasn't used to wearing contacts at all. His brother had asked him to, he didn't know why but he wasn't going to go against his wishes. "I cannot remove my mask; if I reveal myself to you I would have to kill you now."

Duo mentally analyzed his every word; he figured since he didn't debate on not being used to the contacts, he had hit the spot, once again. "Aren't you going to kill me anyway?" That was the obvious question he was awaiting to ask but it was more of a declaration however.

"You could save us a lot of trouble… even your daughter's life, if you just tell us where the rest of the pilot's are," his answer was cold yet simple.

"The rest of the pilots?" Duo wanted to come up with something they could believe, everything was starting to make sense, however there was no point in getting the others involve, there was no point in all of them dying. "I hate to break it to ya buddy… but they're all dead."

"Dead?" Even though Duo couldn't see his expression the tone in his voice however revealed he was more than dumbstruck. "They can't be dead… why should I believe you anyway? Give us the names then?"

"You fool… you actually think our names are in any database… we don't even have names! None of us did!"

"See, now you're lying to me. Because I know one of them had a name… a good one at that… and I know he's dead… like you will be if you don't quit playing games! We already know where your daughter is…" He was frustrated and angry.

Duo's eye burned with fury when he mentioned his daughter, "You dare touch Mai I'll kill both of you… and what do you mean by one of them had a good name?"

"Quatre Raberba Winner… does it ring a bell?" He mocked.

_So they do know… bastards… could it be that they… _"YOU SON OF BITCH! You two killed Quatre didn't you? Didn't you?" Duo demanded to know up and ready to strike him however he could.

Rich wasted no time and pointed his gun at Duo's head, "Now… now you shouldn't be pointing fingers, as a matter a fact I don't remember that whole ordeal. It seems my brother was trying to get rid of you and not Quatre, however we weren't sure he was a Gundam Pilot, we were having doubts… now you cleared it out for us." He explained politely.

Duo slumped back down, shock plastered all over his face; hurt covering his heart and memories flooding his mind.

X.x.x.X



"What's on your mind?" Wufei decided to finally break the long yet not so disturbing silence.

Wufei was always someone Heero could feel conferrable with at times, because they both knew when to be silent and when to begin a small and unnecessary talk. Even though they're ideals where different they could relate to each other in some ways. The ex- Nataku pilot had also learned how to open up a little bit more with the help of Quatre and how to actually care for other people's opinion so this also made it easier for both to be conferrable with each other's presence at the time.

"You remember how Quatre made us watch those long boring movies sometimes?" Heero reminisced on the times when the five of them were practically obligated to get together on a Friday night to watch really romantic movies from ages ago.

"'Bonding Friday' he called it," Wufei added, "and you mean you actually watched them?" he taunted with a hint of sarcasm.

Heero smirked at his comment and continued, "Quatre always understood them and even Duo. Maybe that's why they enjoyed them..."

Wufei cocked his left eyebrow, skeptical as to where the conversation was leading. "Huh, I always thought it was always the same meaningless plot. A girl falls in love with a boy or the other way around and either she or he is forbidden to love the other, so they go against the world to fight for their 'love' and ended up together at some point or died tragically defending their undying true love. What's there to get? It's all fantasy and stupid ideas to fill people's heads with and the fact that they had nothing better to do with their time back then. And not to mention make woman get stupid ideas that us man have to be like that…" Wufei puffed indignantly.

Heero held back a chuckle. "And you asked me if I 'actually watched them'?" he accused after listening to Wufei's thoughts on old romantic movies.

"Well it's true... but was there a point to this whole recalling back in time?"

"I'm not sure..." Heero replied in all honesty.

"You know when Duo got married, I was right to think he would be first out of all of us to find somebody who understood him..."

"Who was the second one?" He asked in an inquisitive manner, his expression still stoic however.

"You..." Wufei looked at him straight in the eyes, so he would see it was not a lie.

"Me...Why me?"

"Even though you act like you're lost in the world and like you don't belong and that no one would ever understand you, there's something different about the way you perceive everything..." he rationalized as if he had been watching him for all those years.



"That still doesn't explain your 'theory'," he assured while he made himself more conferrable on his couch. He tapped his fingers waiting for a better explanation from his ex-comrade; he too was trying to make one up in his mind. This had left him dumbfounded as to why someone like Wufei would put him second to find someone and get married when he always thought he would never have anything normal thus including marriage.

Wufei crossed his arms in a thinking manner trying to find different words to make it more understandable. "Well once you think about Quatre was the type that was followed by woman all the time, but the woman that he met up with were only interested in his money. Being the romantic guy he was he would've never married anyone unless he was sure she loved him for who he was and vice versa...so Quatre would've had a hard really knowing who the right person was..."

Heero was speechless to Wufei's elaborate theory. Yet he dared to ask, "And Trowa?"

The white dragon smirked as if he knew he would ask that all along, "Trowa found comfort around Quatre and unless Quatre would've gotten married before him, he would have never made that move. Besides he never lets anyone in, you actually think he would've given any girl a chance? I mean he hasn't done it even now. Either that or he's gay…"

Heero couldn't help but laugh this time at his assumption, it had been a while he had anyone he could talk to like that. "You really put a lot of thought into this haven't you?"

"These things come into mind once you realize that the war is actually over and the soldier within you has to go someday, even if a piece of it stays with you, a normal life has to be considered, that's what Quatre wanted us to understand... at least that's what I got out of him." That explained why he joined the Preventers to not lose that part of a soldier that he was.

Heero's gaze went to the ceiling and his hand ran through his chocolate bangs. He thought about what he had gotten out of the blond pilot, he had started to open up and he did try to look at life differently when he was alive. He'd never would've imagine that Quatre would have the effect of changing his friends this much, but then again it wasn't just Quatre's doing, time had also played a good part in their lives and had healed a lot of deep scars for some of them.

"Why didn't you tell her… your feelings?" Wufei questioned the Perfect Soldier and removed him from his personal thoughts.

"Who?" He asked back. Confused as to what he was talking about.

"I know you're a good man… you proved it when you moved out of the way just for Duo…"

Heero chocked, something that was rarely done by him. He cleared his throat and looked the opposite way. "I don't know what you're talking about."



"You know… for someone who acts on their emotions, you didn't do quite well with Faye." He stated with a whole lot of simplicity and trying to see if he could catch any reaction from Heero. And thus he did, Heero Yuy began to crack his fingers, he was nervous, Wufei could tell. He hid a grin with his index finger over his mouth and continued. "You had a thing for her didn't you?"

"I had nothing with her; she was Duo's girlfriend and then wife…" Heero stated coldly.

Wufei dropped the subject and stood silent. Both unaware they had an eavesdropper listening to everything that was being said.

X.x.x.X

"I'm going to kill your brother… you'll be lucky If I decide to spare your life," Duo threatened with venom in his tone.

Richard still had his gun over his head, "You shouldn't make threats in your position."

"It's not a threat buddy, it's a promise."

Before any of them could say anymore Richard fell to the floor with a loud thump. Hands locked over his stomach in agony. Duo looked at him perplexed. _I must have some awesome mind power_.

The braided ex-pilot took advantage at whatever kind of miracle was happening, he elbowed Richard fiercely and took his gun away. "I might need this thank you very much!" He stated enthusiastically.

As Richard felt the hit he did his best to reach for his pills, but only to drop them, the pain was getting to hard to bear. A last intent to do what his brother had told him to, he also dropped a cel phone in order to catch Duo's attention, which he managed perfectly.

"What are you doing…trying to call your brother?" He quickly grabbed the cell phone from the floor as best as he could, for his hands were still tied, "Yeah, I don't thinks so… by the way just for this time… I'm forgiving your life… just because I don't feel like shedding any blood right now. But I will come back for you and your brother if I find out he killed Quatre! Are you listening?!" He screamed and knocked Richard out cold with the back of his own gun.

Duo ran off the door the light almost blinding him, "Crap…" he murmured. Doing his best to accommodate his eyes to the new shining light, he placed his arm over his eyes. But soon enough his eyes were able to determine his surroundings, a hallway, doors leading to different rooms, it was big. He began to search for a way out, "It's like a damn maze in here!" But was having a hard time.



After moments of searching, he realized he still had the cell phone in his hands, "If I'm not going to make it out of here, I should at least warn Heero." He dialed the first number that came to his mind, Evie's. It rang three times before the girl picked up; Duo meanwhile had found an odd looking door that seemed to lead to the entrance.

"Hello," he could hear from the other line.

"Evie! Thank God! Listen you have to tell Heero to get Mai to a safe place… you too! You have to…"

He was instantly cut off, "Hello? Who is this? Hello?"

Duo cursed in his mind, the signal was probably messed up. He ran out the door and he finally could see freedom, he was at colony he could tell by the two moons that shun upon him.

"Evie it's me! Can't you hear me??"

Suddenly he heard a gun cock and a sharp needle pierce his neck. Duo slowly let go of the mobile phone when he felt his fingers get numb and the rest of his body was soon to do the same.

"You actually thought I was going to let you go just like that?" The tall man mocked.

His sight was becoming blurry again, "You bastard, you won't get near any of them."He panted and barely watched as Richard came to where they were. He could still hear everything clearly however.

"What did I tell you? Didn't I say to take the pills? What kind of stunt were you trying to pull?"He scolded his younger brother.

"I'm sorry; I just feel that they weren't helping… I made a mistake… please forgive me… you gave them to me because you care, I'm sorry for not following your orders." Richard bowed apologetically.

"Well at least you did one thing right; we now know where his brat is. And I'm pretty sure that will also lead us to where the rest are…" He grinned evilly as he held on protectively to the mobile phone, his now most precious guide to fulfill his thirsty vendetta.

X.x.x.X

The sound of a corky ring tone, made both ex-pilots look back. Evie's voice could be heard, "Hello…" she asked once, then again, "Hello? Who is this? Hello?"

She came up to where Heero and Wufei were, "Duo?" That caught both of their attention. But no response and then the sound of the hanging up tone.



"Was that Duo?" Wufei asked curiously.

"I don't know I couldn't hear well. It sounded like him for a while…" Evie looked at her phone in thought.

"I hope he wasn't calling to say he still wasn't coming back, hn," Heero commented in his usual monotone.

"Is there a number registered?" Wufei questioned.

"No, none," Evie replied simply while she looked over at the call again.

This left them all in thought, as to whether it had been Duo or not. And the reason for his call, it was beginning to cause them nuisance to not know anything about him, but then again if he called, he must be alright? Isn't he?

X.x.x.X

**Thanks a mil to KatCora for being the beta once again! For reading and reviewing and for liking this fic as much as you do! Thanks so much from the bottom of my heart I truly appreciate it XD **

**A/N: **Okay, people, here's the other chapter wooo… I'm finally done with this one. I was having a hard time with it. Probably not the best chapter ever… but it does give you some hints of what's going on and leaves you hanging… I know… I'm sorry couldn't help it.

Anyway hope you like it! Yay I can see more people are interested in reading it… I'm glad and thankful for all of those who have stuck so far and read up to this point! YOU GUYS ROCK!

Special thanks to all the wonderful reviewers who make this fic happen and making my days bright and awesome!! You guys inspire me…

**ConquerorAlexander, Shortslover911,lonelyangel1413, bm631, VitanieTora**

**REVIEW PEOPLE PLEASE… IT INSPIRES ME IT TRUTHFULLY DOES.**

Blessings to all the readers, writers and reviewers!


	11. Run, Lolita, run!

**Disclaimer: **I still haven't won the lotto so … Gundam Wing and its characters do not belong to me it is purely for fan purposes.

**Dedication:** Never dedicated a chapter before but there is a first time for everything… and I dedicate this chapter to **Vitanie Tora **and **ConquerorAlexander (CA)** for always reading and reviewing. Because ever since the first chapters you both have never let me down, rain or shine you are always there… thank you!

Sweet Lullaby

Chapter 11: Run, Lolita, Run!

It was a chilly night, the kind of night that made you doze right off. And that's exactly what they did in the Yuy household. Mai was bundled up as usual, sighing every now and then seemingly having a pleasant dream. Evie shifted from one side to another yet stopped every once in a while as if she had found the right spot and repeated the process all over again. Heero was finally conciliating his sleep and these last few days he had not been haunted by nightmares of any kind; instead this time he had a different kind of dream…

_Faye closed her eyes as she felt the soft wind in her hair. Heero looked over at her with a small smile in his lips as he watched her hair sway smoothly and fit perfectly into the scenery of fields. She looked back at him with a sincere smile of her own. Heero had no idea what they were doing in a field, he only remembered she had once mentioned wanting to have a small house in one. It didn't matter; she was there, with him. Even if it was hell itself it would be alright as long as he had an opportunity to see her once more._

_A small strand of chestnut brown hair caressed her face; the boy found himself reaching gently to remove it. She closed her eyes as soon as she felt his strong hand touch her soft skin. He wanted to hold her, embrace her like he had never done before, but restrained himself from doing so. Opening her eyes little by little she found herself with deep cobalt eyes watching her, she spoke, but he could not make out the words. _

"_Run away with me…" This time Heero heard perfectly. "Let's forget about everything and everybody…" She spoke once again. _

_**Déjà vu**__. He had, had this conversation before. Only the setting was different but the rest seemed the same. Just like that he found himself responding like he did that time._

"_Duo really loves you… he can make you happy."_

"_But I…" Before letting her say anything else he placed a finger over her lips. His response was cold but it was the best he could do. Duo had fallen in love with her. He was just confused on the other hand and didn't know what love was, even though he knew deep inside he felt something strong and a new kind of feeling for her. _

"_I don't care about your past…" she whispered while she held his hand in hers. _

"_I know." He replied with sadness in his eyes. And without any warning the girl leaned forward still holding his hand. Her eyes closing with every inch closer to his handsome face, he made no effort to move and received her lips anxiously. His heart beating faster and faster like it was going to jump out, his first kiss all over again... _

Heero eyes fluttered open; it had been a dream… a nice dream for a change. He touched his lips, they were wet. Did it feel that real?

Little did he know that his bold and daring kisser was still lingering in his room. He reached for the light on his nightstand and brushed off his chocolate bangs from his face but only for them to return back to their initial position. A small sigh escaped his lips, subsequent to his action a hint of bewilderment hit his masculine features, soon to turn into shock, shock turned to annoyance and annoyance turned into complete rage! When he saw Lolita making herself conferrable on a pile of clothes he had left there that night and who seemed to be especially fond of his boxers. But not only that had caught the ex-pilot's attention, shredded paper was carpeted on his floor… yes his books. Oh no, she didn't…



His murderous levels were rising, while Lolita barely stared back at him innocently. He reached enigmatically fast for his safety gun that he had strapped under his bed. Lolita stood up as if knowing what was going on.

"Omae o kurosu." Heero pointed his gun at a blank point of the wall close to the small pink creature. Bang! A warning shot and the pig took it gladly and made a run for it as if hell had been bought to the colony itself. Running like there was no tomorrow Heero followed the animal while he vowed he would leave the small animal with some psychological problems… at least.

Lolita had squirmed under his bed and came out to the other side, Heero swiftly jumped over his bed to catch her. He did not expect however that Lolita was very good at getting away from danger, she jumped on his bed and off to the other side madly making oink sounds as she tried to get away from the angered ex-soldier. Spotted and cornered to a wall by the Perfect Soldier's gun pointing once again at her, only she wasn't about to give up. A hiss was all she gave him, to which Heero could only think, _do pigs hiss?_ Not only was she able to hiss but also dart and make the infamous Wing Zero Pilot fall flat on his butt, shocked and bewilderment once again plastered all over his face.

"You're dead…" he muttered under his breath. Lolita stopped grabbed his boxers on her mouth and gracefully marched her way out of the room. A lethal death glare provided proof of his threat and promise, fortunately no one was near him at the time. He used the wall to support himself as he got up and picked up his gun once more. Heero Yuy, had underestimated dear Lolita, _that 'thing' is no ordinary animal. _It was his duty… no, it was his mission to annihilate the strange cat acting like short pink Southern American pig.

He slid his back to the wall, peeking to see if Lolita was anywhere near the door. Left and right he looked, nowhere in sight. But then, a slight noise, underwear being dragged along the wooden floor at about… _ten feet_. With his gun raised to his face he twirled and pressed himself to the wall smoothly, without making any sound, he just hoped that pigs weren't as perceptive as dogs and cats. Lolita turned around after feeling a strange, dark aura, alas animals was not in Heero's training and definitely not his forte. They stared at each other for some time, until he cocked his gun and she became aware that she should make a run for it. He huffed at his own 

mistake and drifted to see if he could block her way but ended up knocking down a fake plant. Lolita pushed a door into one of the guest bedrooms and entered it.

Heero picked himself up, once more. He saw the pink animal run and continue its way away from him. Immediately he engaged in pursuit, gun leading the way into one of the darkened guest rooms. His eyes caught a glimpse of a chubby shadow jumping into the bed, with perfect timing he jumped to the bed also, his foot making contact with something soft, he stomps it, thinking it might be Lolita. Had he remembered that he had a guest sleeping in that room he wouldn't have Evie screamed like a mad woman. "Ouch! Why the hell are you stepping on my boob?!"

The Perfect Soldier was indeed thrown off, emotionally and literally from the bed. She got up from the bed and switched the lights on and turned to see Heero on the floor still scarlet red from embarrassment… and soon red from anger while his eyes glared at the not so innocent pig on her bed. Bang! Another point blank shot.

"What is wrong with you? You bastard… you killed her!!" Evie screamed with terror.

Heero merely smirked as he saw the pig lay there, he knew he hadn't shot her but he did give her off a good fright. Evie slapped the back of Heero's head once she lifted up Lolita and saw that she was alright.

"What was that for?" He placed his head where he had been hit.

"For being so violent!"

"Oh and you don't call this violent," he said while he pointed to his head.

And without any warning Lolita escaped from Evie's arms and straight to Heero just to bite his ankle and pee on him too. Evie was bewildered for her pet's behavior, yet couldn't hold her laughter. This made him even more furious than before and he began to chase her again with gun in hand and shooting near the pig at every chance he got. The girl followed him afraid of the noise he was making, soon enough the small child woke up and peeked outside her room.

She rubbed her eyes to enhance her vision, "What's going on?"



"Well you sleep like a rock…" Evie commented as she escorted the child back to her bed. "Can't blame you, I didn't even hear the first shots either."

"Shots? Who's shooting?" Mai looked up in question.

"You're uncle Heero has gone homicidal I have to go see that he doesn't end up destroying this place… go to sleep okay honey?"

Mai only nodded but was by far curious as to what was going on.

After leaving Mai in her room, she continued to try and calm Heero down; he had already made bullet holes in nearly every wall, knocked down a few plants and paintings. And even though the bullets weren't as loud as regular ones, which Evie could not understand the neighbors would surely notice the racket going on.

"You know they're going to call the cops on us, if you keep on doing this…" she informed him, putting her hands to her side while his back was turned to her. Heero then heard the pig squeal behind him and he flipped his gun with his right hand back hard. Evie fell backwards as the metal hit her right eye. She covered her eye in pain and the Perfect Soldier was once again at a lost. He didn't expect it to go that far, he wasn't even to kill the irritating animal, let alone hit Evie. A tear escaped Evie's eye, he reached for it and wiped it away gently. She hissed as she felt his hand come in contact with her tender bruise.

"Evie… Are you okay? I'm so…" And before he could apologize in any way, just like she had predicted a loud knock was placed on their door. Heero took back his hand as he was about to touch Evie's eye and headed for the door. He looked at the peep hole…

"It's the police, we know you're in there sir, please open up," the voice of one of the police officers was warning.

_Shit_, he thought. He had to dispose of the gun, after all it's not like he had special permits for all his weapons. But, then again he was never this careless. He quickly went over to his couch and stuffed in there, the officers were getting impatient. "Open up!"



"Nice going Superman," she mumbled, still on the floor. Heero made a sign to hush her and opened the door a bit just to show himself.

"We had a complaint about peace disturbance; neighbors feel that something strange might be happening… violence might be going on?" The chubby police officer informed in a questioning manner, the second police officer just wanted to look intimidating he looked much younger then the first one.

"Hn… there's nothing of that 'sort'," Heero replied bluntly.

"Do you live by yourself… Mister-"

Before the first officer could finish the second already had stretched his neck and looked over Heero's shoulder and saw the girl on the floor. He immediately took his gun out.

"Step away from the door sir and turn around put your hands on your head!" He demanded.

Heero rolled his eyes and did what he was told. The other officer entered the apartment and went to pick up Evie.

"Are you okay Ma'am?" the chubby officer asked with a sympathetic tone.

While the other one searched Heero for any undesirable weapon. "I think we have a woman beater here…" informed the youngest one.

Heero couldn't believe what he was hearing, after all it had all been an accident, yet his shock once more showed, "A what?"

The chubby officer looked at the apartment it was a wreck, it seemed Heero had definitely taken out all the anger he had been building up. However, the officers did not know and by far did not care. It just looked like a crime scene to them.

"Ma'am did your husband hit you?"

Evie was as shocked just like Heero and pained, very much pained, "HE is not my husband… but he did not hit me… it was an accident." She gritted her teeth.



Both officers rolled their eyes, they had seen that kind of case before, wife protecting beating husband and so on.

"Where are you taking him? I said it was an accident!"Evie was alarmed as soon as she saw the young officer handcuff him.

And not to soon or too late little Mai appeared with Lolita in arms and nightgown filled with dirt like she was a picked off from the streets.

"Why are you taking him away!?" Mai too was worried. "He didn't mean to kill, Lolita… she's alive."

The eyes of both officers widened at the little girls remark and wondered who in fact was Lolita.

"Honey, we're taking your father away that way he won't be able to hurt you or your mother again…" the youngest officer said kindly.

"He's not my father and she's not my mother…"

He shoved Heero out the door and stopped midway. He quickly grabbed his radio and turned it on, "Charlye I think we may have a 273 and a 207, we're bringing them in."

Without hesitating the chubby officer handcuffed Evie. "What is going on here?! Heero… see I told you this would happen!"

"Hn. And you're making us look worse." He glared at her, but she was already too angered to even be scared of his death glare. The young officer jumped a bit however.

"You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer any questions. Anything you do say may be used against you in a court of law…" the officer continued to read them their rights, "I always wanted to say that," he added with so much pride. And off to downtown they went…

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

**A/N: **I apologize for another late update; it's the writer's block I tell you! But don't worry next chapter will come up sooner… I hope. Anyway I thought it 

would be nice to have a little comic relief… I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. What will happen next? Dun…dun…dun

Thanks to my awesome beta as always **CA**!

And now thanks to all of you who made me smile with your wonderful reviews that inspire me to keep going: **Elfishme, bm631, KatCora, shortslover911** you guys rock! Thank you for taking the time to review it means the world to me.


	12. Emotions

**Warning: **This chapter has more foul language then the other ones.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gundam Wing... sadly.

_Italics_ are for thoughts.

**

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Sweet Lullaby **

**Chapter 12: **_Emotions_

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_

"_According to the definition of the word normal, it consists of a certain standard, pattern, level or type. Something also to be known as typical…_ _ It is definitely not typical to be taking care of a child who doesn't even belong to me, watching over Evie who is like a child herself and meeting the rest again…" Heero told himself._

_The life you were holding before this came along however, was it typical to you? His inner voice replied back. _

Heero's conscious never had talked back to him in fact he had always wondered if he indeed had a one at all.

"_Am I supposed to answer that?" _Heero amused himself by replying back to none other than himself.

_What are you afraid of?_

"_What is there to be afraid of?"_

_That's exactly your problem…_

He frowned at the incoherent thoughts that were coming to mind, especially since they were things he wouldn't tell himself at all. He stopped his inward debate when Evie had a look of loathing of the place they had been brought to. Not your typical police department, given that the colonies crime rate was very low.

"What is this dump?" She asked with repulsion.

"You're new home away from home…" the young cop cracked a sour joke, "until we finish with the investigation." He led them to a room that had two cells, one unoccupied and another one with two undesirable looking men, who looked like they were glad that some entertainment had just arrived for them exclusively.

Evie was glad that there was at least one empty cell and prayed that Heero wasn't the one stuck with those two. But her prayers and hopes were twisted and turned against her when they were both shoved in the same cell with the other two men. They both had tattoos on their arms and a different amount of black tears that were also tattooed in their faces. While the big buffed man hollered like he was a wolf in heat, the other man to his right who seemed even smaller then Heero but no less dangerous, licked his lips at the sight of Evie.

"Place your hands on the opening so that I may remove your cuffs," the cop ordered once they were inside the cell. He couldn't help but give his notorious death glare. It wasn't right for him to place Evie in the same cell with them at least not when another one was empty. The cop jumped a bit at his stone cold glare, his eyes strong enough to make him shake. He immediately backed off as soon as he had removed the 'criminals' cuffs. Heero reluctantly went and sat across from Evie with his glare still plastered onto his face from the situation he gotten them into. Feeling a mixture of anger and sadness from leaving Mai alone, his biggest priority was now out of his hands.

"_I failed."_

_Indeed you failed miserably. You managed to imprison yourself, Evie, and you managed to lose the little girl. How quaint… You do realize that you never even made any kind of mistake when you were fighting?_

"_I did make mistakes... even then… many mistakes."_

_That you regret?_

"_Yes."_

His inner dialogue was now beginning to get to him. It wasn't like he ever paid attention to his own feelings even though he always stated to act upon emotions. He had been a hypocrite all this time. To himself and to his mentor Odin Lowe who he promised that he would do so. All he had done was act on instinct, like any animal would. The remorse he felt about his mistakes however, was the only gist of humanity he had left.

Evie was also upset at Heero but knew that if she were to press his buttons he'd explode and only make the situation worse. It didn't make it any better for her situation that the short guy was eyeing her with the most lustful gaze. She reflectively wrapped her arms around her waist trying to cover herself up with the thin night robe that was short and barely covered her up. The cops had given her and Heero no time to let them dress properly. She did her best to look away and the other man grabbed her attention. He was actually staring at Heero with the same lustful eyes the short one had given her. She shuttered at the thought and told herself to stay calm or situation was bound to get bad.

Heero eyes were closed, like he was ignoring everything around him. One knee up holding his arm made Evie noticed that he was in fact aware of his surroundings. This kept her a bit more serene. _"Stay calm, stay clear… just ignore it, just ignore it."_

But as if the short man was reading her mind, he grinned; it was a sly kind of grin that precipitated his intentions.

"Don't you look yummy… You're the type I would love to fuck over and over," his voice was raspy and vile, "I bet you have never done it with a real man…"

"_I bet you have…" _ Evie bit her tongue._ "No Evie, don't say anything, you'll just make it worse." _Evie moved closer to the corner doing her best to ignore the men's presence and trying to avoid her thoughts to become comebacks of their own. Even though he was on the other corner of the small cell he manifested a strong and defiant stare.

"Look at your perky breasts… I wish I could bury my head in them," he said while licking his lips. _"I wish you could bury yourself under the ground…" _Evie thought to herself, she was by far disgusted and embarrassed. She crossed her arms tighter around herself as she saw the man get up from his spot. She directed her view to Heero who was still with his eyes closed and not making any movement whatsoever.

"Heh. What are you expecting your man to come to the rescue? I must admit, he is a pretty boy. Don't worry. Junior will take good care of pretty boy over there. In fact he'll treat him so good you won't mean anything to him after he's through with him… he'll just like the taste of dick…" He cackled along with the other big man who just looked like he was about to eat Heero alive.

Evie's blood began to boil and a quick hint of panic made her hair stand on end. Both men were approaching them separately. Evie backed up slowly while maintaining her gaze on Heero who didn't even budge.

"Baby, baby, nice legs, when do they open?" He cackled while he got closer to her.

She took a defensive posture. "Nice mouth, when does it shut?"

"Sassy!! And I thought you were just a stuck up cunt." He gave her a toothy smile showing off a gold tooth. He removed his shirt taunting her every time he took a step, while the other man laughed at the horrified face she had. His whole body was tattooed, from demons and to woman in submission. "What? You don't like tattoos? See these tears… each one represents someone I sent to hell. Now if you and that little faggot man of yours don't want to be added to my collection… you will cooperate. Or we will have to add more tears to my face…" His voice was raspy and menacing, moving his hands in rhythm with his tone. "Now what do you say to a lil' fuck?"

Evie found it hard to swallow. She was in deep. _They_ were in deep. "I'd say leave me alone, little fuck!"

"And you kiss your mama with that mouth?" He amused, making a tsk tsk sound afterwards. He finally got fed up and crushed her violently to the wall. He pressed one arm to her neck cutting off her air supply, his other hand explored up her legs. A tear rolled down her cheek, she tried with everything she could to move him but she had underestimated his strength. "You will now know what it feels to be like with a real man…" He licked his lips once again. His anticipation was growing and his arousal fed from the fear in her eyes.

However if he had noticed that Heero was not your average guy but in fact someone far more dangerous than both of the criminals combined, he would've never turned around as soon as he felt someone touch him on the shoulder.

Which is exactly what the short man did. "What do you want? Go play with pretty boy over-" His sentence was cut as soon as he realized he was talking to 'pretty boy' himself. He turned to see where he was supposed to be sitting and hoped he was imagining the whole thing. His partner in crime was knocked out cold. "Ho.. how… what?" he stuttered. Shocked he was and now he was standing before him.

Heero looked at him with furious eyes; he graced him that much before he punched him in the face. But this time Heero would not just knock him out cold like he did to his buddy. This time he was going to enjoy beating the soul out of him, especially for touching and hurting Evie like he did. Heero could only imagine to how many other helpless women he had done the same thing to and that just fueled the flame and anger inside of him. He didn't speak, but his eyes reflected the disgust he felt for men like him and his kicks and punches also did the same. The short man tried to fight back but he was no match for the infamous Heero Yuy.

Evie recovered from the shock and watched as Heero fought the man. She had never seen someone fight like that before. Everything was calculated and precise. A gasp escaped her lips when she saw the enormous man that was supposed to be knocked out get up from where he was. "Heero watch out!!" She screamed warning him that he was about to be attacked from behind.

Heero's reflexes, however, had warned him already. A back kick and he sent the big buffed man flying backwards. A smirk came by his face that Evie could not dismiss. It seemed he was actually enjoying himself. Evie for once was very frightened to see this side of Heero, she had never seen him fight or any of the guys, except Wufei who defended her once. But it was then that she was reminded they had been a soldier after all, 'this' was probably child's play to him.

In fact Heero was enjoying himself so much that he was barely using any kind of serious force. Not until, the short one got up and licked the blood from his lips, "Well… well… you're no ordinary guy aren't ya? Well let me just tell you that I'm not one either…"

Heero still didn't respond. But all that the short guy was doing was diverting his attention so that the big guy would be able to grab Evie, making it yet even more unfair, or so they thought. He smiled when he saw that the man had successfully captured the girl. "Play nice pretty boy. Or the bitch dies… you decide," he warned him as he made a signal to the capturer to show him what they meant. The buffed man placed his large hand on Evie's neck and began to choke her, just to show that they meant business. Heero did not show any emotion whatsoever and was not even alarmed. With one swift motion he managed to head lock the short man who was bewildered by his speed. The big guy released Evie to go aid his partner, just as Heero had expected.

Evie's knees felt weak, she softly slumped to the ground as she gasped for air. Her sight was blurry but she could almost see what was going on. Heero was going out of control. He was beating them like there was no tomorrow. Both men were coughing blood, barely moving, yet Heero didn't seem to stop. A shiver went through her spine with the thought of _"He's going to kill them…"_ and as soon as she regained her strength she got up and ran to him. Her arms wrapped around his waist and her head buried on his back.

"Please. Please, stop it…" she whispered. Her hands and her barely audible words made him stop immediately. His eyes opened wide, he had gone into a trance just like the way he did when he went into battle. He tilted his head as he stared at his hands which were tainted red. He collapsed but to his surprise Evie never let go. He turned and looked at her eyes directly, like he was trying to find something. She caressed his cheek softly and murmured, "Its okay." But was it really? That question hit Heero's mind. He usually had everything under control and just now reality just seemed to have taken a toll on him. He felt safe while he was fighting? Any normal person would just stay away from it. But he wasn't normal; it was proven once again.

Evie ended eye contact with him and grabbed his left hand first and began wiping the blood from his fist as best as she could with her night robe. Heero watched speechless as the girl continued to do the same with his other hand. He wondered if she wasn't mad for this whole ordeal. After all he was at fault for all of it. His hands were merely red but the blood was off and on Evie's robe, which she did her best in concealing it from her own robe, just in case either of the cops barged in. It was miracle that no one had heard the ruckus. But then again the crooked cops probably expected it to be the other way around and left them just so they could turn a blind eye. Heero's hands turned to fists once more just thinking of it. She smiled sympathetically at him, "Thank you, for helping me…" she said.

Heero looked at her neck. It was red with finger marks on it. Her eyes were becoming a bluish kind of color from the bruise. Her legs had also some finger marks. His gaze went back up to her eyes, he touched her face gently, not really thinking about anything else but just looking at her. The action followed afterwards wasn't expected or planned. He just knew he had to, if at least one damn thing he knew he had to pull through was to start following what he preached… to act on his emotions. He pulled her face closer to his, her eyes widened and a small yelp escaped her mouth as his lips graced hers. She didn't pull back, instead she closed her eyes her hands found his waist once again, while he entwined his fingers on her short hair deepening the kiss. For once he felt that the kiss meant something, she meant it. Not like last time. This one felt real.

**

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:Flashback:

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**

He felt lost. He had been lost for a long time and when he thought he had found himself, the person who was trying to help him get his humanity back, dies. After Quatre's accident, Heero decided to find the answer to a question he, himself did not know. He traveled to different affected colonies trying to find his peace. In each colony he tried to help rebuild what he helped destroy for the sake of peace. _Ironic._ He thought. The way he had to destroy and kill just to obtain something that was so idealistic and pure. But each time he could feel it was worth it, watching the children play even if it was on the rubble. It had been worth it, even if he and the others sacrificed their own humanity in the process.

Every day it was a day of feeling nothing, he was always trying to find something. Paint and model glue on his hands didn't give him the answer, and oh how he died when he looked at the rest smiling, loving life and all he knew was how to fight. Sometimes his days were just full of cold stares and rainy days.

In his mind was a simple thought. _"Everything is beautiful as long as I'm not there_…"

Evie who was on her own quest of "helping out" as her cover up, for in reality all she wanted was to rebel against her parents. Get away from them and everything else. Things had not been looking up as she expected in her life either. She had barely suffered in war, she had been lucky enough to be shielded like most of the rich spoiled brats she went to school with. Only seeing some people die and mobile suits every once in a while when she was in the Sanc Kingdom studying at Saint Gabriels along with other children of pacifist politicians. She was detached from the war, with only being able to criticize and watch from afar. So a few years after the war she decided she would put her studies to practice and begin using her architectural skills. She knew it would make her stepfather mad that she would choose to go help design low cost buildings, with solid foundations, it would be a loss for one of his architecture companies.

In two different colonies Evie had bumped into Heero unintentionally. She remembered the boy from the wedding of her best friend, having a few bad moments with him that day. The first time Heero made sure she didn't say more than 'Hello'. But the second time around he did not have such luck. By that time he was low on cash and that colony was so devastated that even its economy was in the gutter. Evie offered him a place to stay and some food, but he declined. Nevertheless she kept on insisting for a whole week. By that time he realized he was cold at night and starving.

Evie didn't question his actions and he didn't question hers. And maybe that was what kept him around her. He helped her in some projects, while she offered him food and a place to stay on their trip. Even though Heero was never the type to talk, she felt some sort of comfort to have someone with her, even if their reasons were different. She noticed that Heero was barely living in his skin. She confronted him about it and it surprised her that he gave her an answer.

"I don't know how to live. Not even depression is my friend."

She stared at him blankly and for some reason she actually understood him. Her job was soon done in one of the colonies; Heero had come to wonder why he'd stayed so long in one colony.

"Where are you headed now?" She asked him during their last night together, not really expecting him to answer.

"I don't know where I'm heading. All I know is that I'm trying to forget where I've been…"

She looked at him, each time he just seemed more intriguing with his coldness and void. Never had she met someone quite like him. But even so she didn't want to make an effort to understand him for she didn't even understand herself. "I'm just so sick of lying," she felt compelled to confess that much. "I just wished God would show me the silver lining."

He had never believed in God. He had never been introduced to him in any way. This made him wonder. "Well if God does exist… my head is full of hell," he stated.

Evie smiled at him, "Even though this world might seem like it's a jail. There is always a way out… Gradually you find yourself erasing things you don't like… finding comfort in the sickest womb. You just have to learn a better way out that won't leave you bruised afterwards."

He couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow. Giving it a thorough thought, her words did make sense in an eclectic kind of way.

"I was told once that life is a play and that the whole world is the stage. If I had a prayer it would be that the show ends the same way every day from now on." He gazed at the stars while he said it. As if he in fact was making out a prayer and Evie couldn't help but watch him intensely. He turned and could see her grey eyes not leave his for a really long time. The atmosphere was just right, but their hearts were somewhere else.

That night led to many temptations that Heero thought he would never have again. He learned that part of his human self was still there. But even so, their night together was meaningless. He could not love, for he did not know what it was like. And her heart belonged to someone else. That night they both shared bodies and became one in flesh… but not in soul. His first time had been done with passion yet without love. Both agreed it was just a time of weakness and temptation, even if part of them thought otherwise.

After that night Evie asked him to come along with her to Earth, but he decided he wasn't ready to go back there yet and they went their separate ways. Never to know if they would be in contact again, but like she had said, he managed to erase a few bad memories and replaced them with a new one unconsciously.

**

* * *

:End Flashback:

* * *

**

Their kiss was broken off when they heard a loud commotion getting closer. They stared in different directions. Evie was flushed and Heero dissimulated a rosy color of his own. The moment became awkward.

"_Crap! What am I doing? I can't even look at him straight in the eyes…"_ Evie was nervous and fidgety and thanked the heavens when a loud Wufei came barging through the door, Trowa was right next to him and behind them was the annoyed young cop.

"I told you, you cannot go back there. I could have you arrested!" The young cop menaced.

"And I could have you fired if I wanted! You are a dishonor to yourself, to your fellow companions and to your whole family!" Wufei elevated his voice in a military tone while he shoved the preventer badge to his face.

"Ye…yes sir!" he stuttered. He barely saw the badge but he knew it was wiser not to mess with either one of them.

Trowa cocked both eyebrows at the spectacle in Heero's and Evie's cell. Both of them were in the middle of the two men who seemed somewhat lifeless.

"What happened here?" Trowa asked, although he was pretty sure he had an idea.

The young cop approached them shock embedding his face. "What… who is responsible for this?"

Evie stood up in front of Heero, "They both began to fight… we just moved and they knocked each other out."

The cop was skeptical. "You…" he pointed to Heero, "show me your hands."

Heero did as he was told, his hands were surprisingly clean just a bit red but the cop didn't have enough proof to blame him, since there was no scratch on him.

"You heard the woman. Now let them go… or do I need to remind you who's daughter you happened to have arrested?" Wufei ordered and at the same time he reminded him of what he had told him before.

The young cop complied but not in a good manner. His first bust was ruined and he had learned that he had messed with the wrong person. "Ms. Evelyn Deverou I ask for your forgiveness I was just trying to do my job," he avoided her gaze while he apologized.

Evie stared at him perplexed that she finally found out her last name. She knew her last name came in handy every once in a while but she had promised herself not to use it as a means to escape her problems anymore. Heero too couldn't help but be surprise at hearing that last name. It couldn't be that that she was actually related to 'the Deverou's' as in Rina Deverou, the annoying witch born to make everyone's life miserable.

"How did you know we were here?" Evie questioned Wufei, surprised since they didn't even get to make any call.

"Trowa went to pay you guys a visit and he saw the cops wrecking Heero's place up. He then called me," Wufei explained.

Evie blinked a few times before she turned to Trowa and gave him a smirk. "Well my hero. Thanks clown…"

Trowa rolled his eyes and nodded in acceptance to her poor attempt at thanking him. Heero placed a hand on his shoulder, showing his gratitude, to which Trowa nodded once again in understanding.

"Where is Mai?" Heero finally asked.

"I thought she would be here…" Wufei's voice trailed off. Heero's face went pale as did Evie's and Trowa had a worried look all the same.

o.00.o.00.o

Duo stood his ground. He was not going to give up that easy. But the more he fought back, the more he was tortured. The drugs had made his gaze hazy but they hadn't kicked in enough for him to avoid feeling the pain. He began high kicking the shadows he saw, but soon he found himself being grabbed by his arms, but it wasn't enough even for the huge muscled man to stop him from fidgeting. It took another one to keep him from moving entirely. Just so that another one, equally as huge, began using his fist to punch one time after another in his loins. It didn't take long for his blood to gush out of his mouth. Receiving hits on his face afterwards and kicks to his whole body. Even so he got up every time.

"You're a sly one Duo Maxwell. You see… if you would've abided by my rules this wouldn't be happening to you right now."

Duo did his best to try and see the man who was responsible for this but just like his big torturers. He had a ceramic like mask that only covered half of his face, while the other men had masks that depicted an executioner. He could not understand why he would go all the way to hide his identity. His adrenaline was on high and he was more pissed then he ever. He lounged at him while he screamed bloody murder. The man didn't budge for he was secure with the eight men that were now there at his service to protect him and to make sure Duo paid dearly for trying to escape.

"I will kill you, you bastard!" He screamed as soon as he was grabbed once more, expecting the worse.

Just as he was about to receive another blow, the door opened with huge force. There stood a man with his hand to his heart gasping for air and he barely managed to say, "Stop this madness!"

0.o.00.o.0

I truly apologize for the late update! I hope you can forgive me… this probably wasn't the best chapter. But I do hope that it was at least… salvageable. And yes that was my crappy attempt for a cliff hanger… or so I think.

I want to thank my wonderful beta **CA** as always for taking the time out of his busy schedule to beta this story and chapters.

Thank you to the wonderful people that reviewed it is because of you that I keep this story going and it makes me so happy to know that you are still enjoying it. You have no idea how much!

Please R&R keep this story alive and make me happy!

So now to thank from the bottom of my heart:

**ConquerorAlexander, Vitanie Tora, Kat_Cora, zeratheliger.**


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